The US Government Will Ask Data Centers How Much Power They Use
News ClipWIRED·VA·4/15/2026
The US Energy Information Administration plans a mandatory nationwide survey of data centers to collect data on their energy use, in response to senatorial inquiry and public concern. This initiative aims to address the lack of official data on the industry's resource consumption amid rising utility bills and environmental concerns.
electricitygovernmentoppositionmoratoriumlegal
xAI
Gov: Energy Information Administration, Elizabeth Warren, Josh Hawley
The US federal government's Energy Information Administration (EIA) is developing a mandatory nationwide survey to assess data centers' energy consumption, according to a letter obtained by WIRED. This initiative, prompted by an inquiry from Senators Elizabeth Warren and Josh Hawley, marks the first comprehensive effort to collect essential data on the industry's resource use. Senator Warren emphasized the public's right to know about data centers' energy impact on utility bills and urged the EIA to release data promptly.
The move comes amidst growing public concern over the "explosion of data centers across the US" and their significant resource demands, which have led to calls for legislation and moratoriums. Currently, most data on energy use is proprietary. The EIA, which typically surveys energy providers and industrial customers, will expand its data collection to include data centers.
As a preliminary step, the EIA launched a pilot survey in late March targeting data centers in major development areas: Texas, Washington state, and the northern Virginia/DC metro area. A second phase of pilot surveys covering at least three more states is planned, with both pilot studies expected to conclude by late September. These pilots are crucial for developing the eventual nationwide mandatory survey.
The survey will gather information on annual electricity consumption, behind-the-meter power generation (including gas-powered facilities that raise environmental concerns), data center classification, cooling systems, facility size, and IT efficiency metrics. This comprehensive data collection aims to shed light on an industry where information has historically been scarce, although the structure and specifics of the pilots, including how locations are chosen and questions tailored, remain largely undisclosed. The article also briefly mentions a recent lawsuit filed by the NAACP against xAI in Mississippi, alleging unpermitted gas turbine operations at a data center.