DATA CENTER BOOM, GRID SHORTFALL

PJM, the largest U.S. power grid serving 67 million people, has failed for a third straight year to lock in enough future electricity supply — and the warning is flashing red as the AI and data center boom slams demand. The grid said Tuesday its latest auction still came up 6.8 gigawatts short for 2028, a gap equal to nearly seven nuclear reactors, deepening pressure on Virginia’s Data Center Alley and raising the stakes for an emergency procurement plan later this year aimed at forcing hyperscalers to help shoulder the load.