As the U.S. economy grows due to the expansion of data centers, electrification, and onshoring of manufacturing and industrial processes, electric and natural gas load is increasing across the nation. Many State Energy Offices are working alongside their utilities, economic development agencies, governors, and legislatures to identify innovative ways to address energy demand, advance practical energy policies, inform regulatory processes, enhance physical and cyber energy security, and support economic development.

The NASEO Powering Up Data Centers discussion series will explore specific strategies State Energy Offices can use to address growing data center electricity demand while supporting energy affordability and grid reliability. The goal of this series is to:   
  • Deliver world-class, real-time information and data on the market demand for AI computational resources of data centers – the latest trends, technology advancements, and resources;
  • Enhance State Energy Offices’ understanding of the challenges and opportunities associated with data centers – including the near, mid, and long-term computational demand of public and private organizations that will drive data center growth and use; 
  • Ensure that State Energy Offices are better equipped to develop policies and programs to meet the energy needs in their state and propel economic development; and
  • Explore specific strategies to address growing data center electricity demand. 
NASEO Powering Up Data Centers Discussion Series:
  • Webinar 1: Data Centers and the Energy Landscape (Recording)
  • Webinar 2: Planning and Siting Considerations for Data Center Power (Recording)
  • Webinar 3: Tools to Meet Data Center Energy Demand Growth (Recording)
  • Webinar 4: Maintaining Energy Security and Reliability Goals Amid Data Center Load Growth (Recording)

The NASEO-NARUC Initiative on Comprehensive Electricity Planning in an Era of Load Growth aims to develop state-led pathways toward a more resilient, efficient, and affordable grid that meets current and future electricity needs across the U.S. This initiative builds on past work by the NARUC-NASEO Task Force on Comprehensive Electricity System Planning. For the first time in decades, utilities are projecting significant load growth due to rising power requirements from data centers, manufacturing facilities, transportation, and buildings. The joint NASEO-NARUC Comprehensive Electricity Planning Initiative is designed to support states in better understanding forecasting, modeling, planning techniques, and both demand- and supply-side options for meeting projected load growth through the following activities: 

  • Two in-person workshops, the first scheduled for December 9-11, 2025. More details coming soon. 
  • Virtual peer sharing and expert learning sessions throughout 2025-2026. 
  • Expert support for select modeling runs to improve their understanding of capabilities and options. 
  • Updated roadmaps and resources for comprehensive electricity planning and modeling for all state decision-makers. 

The NASEO-NARUC Initiative on Comprehensive Electricity Planning in an Era of Load Growth is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy. 

Previous Efforts: 

  • From 2019 to 2020, 15 state teams of NARUC and NASEO members developed innovative visions for how electricity system planning could be improved through the NARUC-NASEO Task Force on Comprehensive Electricity System Planning. Members created five distinct roadmaps and related resources that describe how the building blocks of historically siloed resource, distribution, and transmission planning processes can be reconfigured for greater alignment, increased transparency, and more robust stakeholder engagement.