Research: AI Data Centers and Cryptocurrency Mining Could Drive Up U.S. Electricity Prices, with Some States Seeing Increases of Over 50%

BlockBeats News, May 19th, according to Fortune citing the latest research report, driven by AI data center expansion and cryptocurrency mining, the U.S. electricity demand is rapidly increasing, and residential electricity prices may significantly rise in the coming years. The research shows that by 2030, the U.S. average wholesale electricity price may increase by 6% to 29%, with even higher increases in data center-concentrated areas.

Among them, Virginia, as one of the core data center regions in the U.S., may see the highest increase in generation costs, possibly up by 57%. The research points out that the expansion of AI infrastructure and cryptocurrency mining are jointly driving a surge in power consumption, with data centers currently accounting for 4.4% of the total U.S. electricity usage, a figure that could rise to 17% by 2030.

The research also indicates that to meet the additional demand, U.S. utilities may recommission some coal-fired power plants and rely more on natural gas generation, potentially leading to a maximum 28% increase in the power industry's carbon emissions by 2030.

Meanwhile, there is growing opposition in U.S. society to AI infrastructure. Polls show that about 70% of Americans oppose the construction of AI data centers near their residences, citing concerns such as rising electricity costs, resource consumption, and environmental impact. Over the past year, more than $156 billion worth of data center projects in the U.S. have been delayed or canceled due to community protests.