Amazon’s data centre power plan halted by US energy commission
FERC blocks Amazon’s nuclear-powered data centre proposal, citing potential impacts on public energy bills.
United States energy regulators have rejected an amended plan for an Amazon data centre to be powered directly from Talen Energy’s Susquehanna nuclear plant in Pennsylvania. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) cited potential risks to both consumer costs and grid reliability, concluding that diverting power from the regional grid to Amazon’s facility could raise public energy bills and create supply challenges.
The proposal came as Big Tech companies like Amazon seek rapid ways to meet growing energy demands for data centres, particularly those needed to expand AI technologies. Co-locating data centres with power plants has emerged as an appealing solution, yet FERC Commissioner Mark Christie warned that this arrangement could bring complex repercussions, including significant impacts on reliability and costs.
FERC Chairman Willie Phillips, however, dissented, arguing that blocking the project could hinder US leadership in AI and harm national security. The decision leaves questions about funding and infrastructure upgrades necessary to ensure reliable supply to such high-demand centres.
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