DCFlex Deliverables

Regions across the globe are expecting significant load growth from data centers. A prior EPRI white paper presented a framework for forecasting regional data center load growth. This report provides case studies on using the framework to create forecasts for three regions: New York State, the Pacific Northwest, and the Southeastern United States. The results illustrate how electric system planners can apply the framework using data available from their load interconnection queues and the DCFlex project.

The industry is currently facing a significant increase in large load interconnection requests, primarily driven by the rapid expansion of data centers. This surge has sparked considerable interest in understanding the specific interconnection requirements for these substantial loads. This Volume II installment aims to provide reporting on the evolving landscape of interconnection requirements for large loads.

This document summarizes the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) guideline on Risk Mitigation for Emerging Large Loads, focusing on the reliability challenges posed by data centers, cryptocurrency mining, hydrogen electrolyzers, and other power-intensive facilities. These loads introduce rapid demand variability, oscillations, and operational risks that require proactive measures across interconnection, planning, operations, stability, power quality, and resilience.

This study explores how strategic siting and load flexibility can accelerate data center integration while maintaining system stability. Using a stylized Texas grid model for 2030, we assess hosting capacity under different transmission and siting scenarios and evaluate four flexibility archetypes. Findings underscore the importance of coordinated planning, flexibility-enabled architectures, and transmission enhancements to unlock hosting capacity and support resilient grid operations.

This document reviews the current landscape of retail programs and tariffs and wholesale market designs relevant to the demand flexibility of large load customers, with a focus on data centers. It intends to inform the development of a consistent framework for designing retail offerings and wholesale market structures that better facilitate data center demand flexibility. 

This report provides a library of load shapes for a range of type of data centers. The load shapes were derived from empirical measurements from operational data centers. System planners and load forecasters can use the load shapes directly. Note this is the first version of the load shape library and EPRI plans to refine and expand the library throughout the DCFlex project.

This white paper describes an analysis comparing recently filed U.S. electric company integrated resource plans (IRPs) depicting planned generation supply, with both IRP and EPRI DC-informed load projections. Findings explore how these projections compare and the landscape of existing and planned resources, and recent trends in energy supply to power DCs, opportunities that DC flexibility may afford to the system, and approaches to advance long-term resource planning practices are explored.

This report addresses the rapidly increasing energy demand of data centers (DCs), driven primarily by hyperscale facilities supporting artificial intelligence workloads, with global electricity consumption projected to nearly double by 2026. It evaluates a comprehensive range of energy supply options suitable for DCs over the next 5 to 10 years, focusing on performance, cost, and integration potential.

This report presents a comprehensive analysis of the energy supply chain challenges confronting the rapidly growing data center (DC) sector over the next 5 to 10 years. It examines the increasing demand for electricity and its implications for infrastructure development, technology deployment across energy generators, and the availability of critical grid electrical components.

This report examines critical workforce issues over the next 5 to 10 years on a regional basis, including talent shortages in skilled trade roles, retention difficulties, and the need for apprenticeships and resource allocation to keep pace. Multiple case studies are presented along with feedback from energy suppliers on workforce issues seen in the field. The report assesses the potential implications for DCs and provides recommendations for ways to minimize issues and better prepare to keep DC growth on track.