ÉTATS-UNIS PERSPECTIVE

In the United States, media coverage of the AI data center energy crisis is dominated by two competing narratives: protecting American technological innovation, and protecting households from exploding electricity bills. Residential electricity prices have risen 36% since 2020, from 12.76 to 17.44 cents per kWh as of February 2026.

Virginia crystallizes the debate: over 40 data centers in 'data center alley' already consume 20% of the state's electricity. PJM Interconnection, the nation's largest grid operator serving 65 million people, projects a 6 GW shortfall below reliability requirements by 2027. A Virginia resident told NPR his bill jumped from $100 to $281 in a single month.

Remarkably, the issue generates rare bipartisan consensus: Senator Bernie Sanders (left) and Governor Ron DeSantis (right) jointly denounce data centers' impact on electricity prices. The Washington Post published an editorial on March 23 arguing that 'AI and data centers don't have to send electricity bills soaring.'

Morgan Stanley warns of a net power shortfall of 9-18 GW in the US through 2028, while Goldman Sachs estimates data center consumption will add 0.1% to core inflation in 2026 and 2027. The American debate remains centered on the tension between technological competitiveness and consumer protection.