Robin Millican

Good thread. In short, FERC is moving to fix the slow and inconsistent rules that data centers face when they try to plug into the grid. Rather than write one single national rulebook over several years (which takes forever) it's telling each grid operator to fix its connection rules within months or justify them. The likely fixes: -the data center pays the full cost of the grid upgrades it triggers -has to put serious money down to prove it's real, and -gets a fast-track 60-day study if it agrees to dial its power use down when the grid is stressed (e.g, curtailment, DR, etc.). This fast lane +clearing out fake and speculative projects clogging the queue = where the real speed comes from. -study data center + power plant at same time Biggest winners are flexible data center operators who agree to throttle down (demand flexibility), companies pairing a data center with its own on-site power plant (clearer rules for BYOP/BYOC), and everyone supplying the buildout. One caveat: none of this is final until the actual order lands, and the real bottleneck is still steel in the ground and building generation T&D. But simplifying paperwork/procedures is always welcome!