What is PJM's projected peak power demand during the heat dome, and how does it compare to the previous record?

PJM projected a peak power demand of 166.2 gigawatts (GW) during the heat dome, which would break its 20-year-old record of 165.6 GW. The grid operator stated it has sufficient capacity to meet this challenge despite the unprecedented demand driven by extreme heat and data center growth.

How much have PJM's wholesale power costs increased year-over-year, and what portion is attributable to data centers?

PJM's total wholesale power costs rose 68% year-over-year — from $23.8 billion to $40 billion in the first five months of the year — amounting to a $16.25 billion increase. Of that increase, $3.8 billion (about 23%) was directly attributed to booming demand from data centers, according to Monitoring Analytics' estimates.

Heat dome poses woes for largest US power grid beyond data center boom

Jul 2, 2026

PJM Interconnection anticipates record power consumption driven by extreme heat and data center expansion, resulting in a 68% year-over-year increase in wholesale costs to $40 billion amid warnings of future capacity constraints.

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Heat dome poses woes for largest US power grid beyond data center boom

Heat dome poses woes for largest US power grid beyond data center boom

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