The vulnerability of the Texas electric power grid was highlighted once again following Hurricane Beryl, which caused widespread outages in southeast Texas lasting for a week. The storm emphasized ongoing concerns about the state's electricity infrastructure.
Susan Arledge, senior managing director for Newmark in Dallas, stated, "Power is probably the biggest factor impacting Texas right now." She noted that according to predictions by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), electricity demand in Texas could almost double over the next six years. This increase is attributed to the growth of data centers and artificial intelligence.
ERCOT experts anticipate that demand could reach 150 gigawatts by 2030. This figure represents nearly twice the 85 gigawatts recorded in 2023. The rise in demand is expected to be largely driven by data centers and AI, which are predicted to account for more than half of this increase.