Power Grid on the Edge: Federal Report Warns AI Data Centers Could Plunge North America Into Winter Blackouts
by yourNEWS Media Newsroom | Nov 20, 2025
A new federal reliability report warns that energy-hungry artificial intelligence data centers are driving winter electricity demand to record highs, putting large parts of North America at risk of blackouts.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) has warned that growing electricity demand from artificial intelligence (AI) data centers could push the nation’s power grids to the breaking point this winter.
In its 2025–2026 Winter Reliability Assessment, NERC said “much of North America” faces a heightened risk of failing to meet demand during “extreme operating conditions.” The problem is especially acute in regions dense with AI data centers, where round-the-clock power consumption is surging.
