Government begins survey on data center power use

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) has initiated three voluntary pilot field studies to assess energy consumption within data centers. These studies, involving web-based surveys in Texas and Washington state, and in-person interviews in Northern Virginia and Washington, DC, aim to gather detailed information on data center energy use, including power sources, electricity consumption, and operational metrics. This move by the EIA is a direct response to growing concerns, particularly in states like Oklahoma, regarding the substantial power demands of data center projects and their potential impact on consumer electric bills. Oklahoma's legislature has also addressed these concerns through various legislative efforts. EIA Administrator Tristan Abbey emphasized the agency's commitment to prioritizing data collection in the rapidly evolving energy sector, aiming for faster cycles and finer detail than previous consumption surveys. The EIA has identified 196 companies operating data centers in the targeted regions and will ask each to report on at least one facility's energy use. This initiative follows earlier pilot studies in February on critical minerals like graphite, vanadium, and zirconium.