By: Raven Santana

As artificial intelligence rapidly reshapes our economy, workforce and daily lives, it is also driving an unprecedented surge in energy consumption.

And as AI’s capabilities expand so do its demands for electricity. The Senate Legislative Oversight Committee held a meeting Monday about New Jersey’s energy infrastructure and whether it is capable of meeting increasing demands on it.

“Can the power grid sustain this surge in AI-driven energy use without overburdening grid, our residents, businesses and energy infrastructure itself? Will AI’s energy demand drive up the cost for New Jersey ratepayers, particularly for low-income households?” asked Sen. Andrew Zwicker (D-Middlesex), chair of the committee.

“Data centers already use two percent of the world’s electricity but the demand is rising so fast that it could double by 2026 so this level of growth would make AI-related energy demand equal to the electricity consumption of the entire country of, let’s say, Japan. That’s the challenge that’s in front of us.”

Zwicker and fellow committee members heard testimony from electric company leaders and from Jason Stanek, the executive director of PJM Interconnection, the largest power grid operator in the U.S., which has served New Jersey for almost 100 years.

“Over the next five years, the demand for electricity to serve data centers alone will triple from currently four percent today of PJM data centers to twelve percent. We do remain open to additional solutions as long they will help us keep the lights on,” Stanek said.

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