Grant PUD Eyes New Data Center Rates as Power Demand Drives Costs Higher
Grant PUD commissioners are considering new electricity rate classes for data centers starting in 2027. This change is driven by surging power demand that is exceeding what the utility's Columbia River dams can supply. The proposal aims to shift how large electricity users, including data centers in Quincy, are charged.
EPHRATA, WA – Grant PUD commissioners are weighing a significant overhaul of electricity rates for their largest customers, including data centers, starting in 2027. The proposed changes are a direct response to a surge in power demand that has begun to outstrip the utility's generation capacity from its Columbia River dams.
The utility's staff presented a proposal that would introduce new rate classes specifically for data centers, which are concentrated in Quincy. While residential customers and small businesses, categorized as "core customers," would see an average 3.5% rate increase in 2027, the focus of the new structure is on how major industrial users will be charged. The move highlights the increasing strain data centers are placing on local power grids and the need for utilities to adapt pricing to cover escalating costs.