📌 Brief News Bulletin: Texas Sees Sharp Rise in AI-Driven Power Demand
Texas — The state is witnessing a major shift in energy consumption as artificial intelligence (AI) data centers overtake Bitcoin miners in large-scale power requests. According to ERCOT, Texas’s grid operator, the large-load queue has reached 226 GW, with 73% of new requests linked to AI facilities.
ERCOT received 225 new large-load applications this year, while reviewing nearly 2,000 new generation proposals. However, most proposed projects involve solar and battery systems, which cannot meet AI’s need for continuous power—raising concerns over future grid stability.
State regulators are drafting new rules to classify customers requesting 75 MW or more as “special handling” cases. ERCOT has also increased transmission project reviews to manage growing demand.
Meanwhile, many Bitcoin miners—once a stabilizing force for Texas’s grid—are shifting to AI computing. A recent study suggests crypto miners previously helped save the state $18 billion by reducing consumption during peak periods.
In a notable example of the shift, Galaxy Digital has secured $460 million to convert its former Bitcoin mining site into a large-scale AI data center, highlighting the industry’s rapid evolution.
