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America's largest power grid is struggling to meet demand from AI: Rising prices out of the auction trickle down to everyday people's power bills. (www.reuters.com)

submitted 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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America's largest power grid is under strain as data centers and AI chatbots consume power faster than new plants can be built.

Electricity bills are projected to surge by more than 20% this summer in some parts of PJM Interconnection's territory, which covers 13 states - from Illinois to Tennessee, Virginia to New Jersey - serving 67 million customers in a region with the most data centers in the world.

The upheaval at PJM started a year ago with a more than 800% jump in prices at its annual capacity auction. Rising prices out of the auction trickle down to everyday people's power bills.

For context: In 2019, I was paying $0.09/KWh and today I pay about $0.29/KWh with yet another rate hike looming.

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[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

I am very happy to not be on the grid. We have a smaller setup, but it runs the AC during the day (even when we are not home) and it’s FREE.

Oh yea and during recent heat waves people in town have been having power outages, not us.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I'd love to be self-sufficient but not quite able to do so right now.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Hopefully you will be able to someday!

We have been off grid about 8 months now. Right now we don’t even have water access. We haul water from Walmart. Just got a free rainwater roof a few days ago, and found free gutters, but need to find IBC tanks. It’s a ton of work but so satisfying.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I've got 4x55 gallon rain barrels for watering (they're food grade but advised for non-potable water only). Definitely not enough to cover the household usage even if they were potable. I couldn't imagine living without water service or a well on my property (not sure if a well would even be practical/possible here).

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 week ago (1 children)

That’s a great start! I’m sure it can be filtered and sanitized. Filter out solids and kill the bacteria.

We use very little water, we wash dishes with a pump sprayer. The biggest use of water is drinking.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

I don't ever see myself disconnecting from the water company since I have to use sewer service and lack the space to install a septic system. Though I have been looking into plumbing in a grey water system to capture from sinks, showers, dishwasher, and the washing machine. Can do some simple filtering to re-use that for flushing or watering the lawn/garden.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 week ago

My neighbor does that with his grey water. Just be sure to use the right biodegradable soaps.