---
title: "Largest US grid operator wants to cut power to data centers first"
url: https://www.parallelquant.com/posts/largest-us-grid-operator-wants-to-cut-power-to-data-centers-first-0ea641
source_name: "Tom's Hardware"
source_url: https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/data-centers/new-data-centers-on-americas-largest-grid-face-first-in-line-blackouts-unless-they-bring-their-own-power
published: 2026-08-17T13:11:38.000Z
topics: ["policy", "infrastructure"]
publisher: "Parallel Quant"
---

# Largest US grid operator wants to cut power to data centers first

*2026-08-17 · Source: [Tom's Hardware](https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/data-centers/new-data-centers-on-americas-largest-grid-face-first-in-line-blackouts-unless-they-bring-their-own-power)*

PJM Interconnection, which manages the largest power grid in the US, has asked federal regulators to approve rules that would curtail electricity to new data centers before cutting power to households during shortages. Data centers over 50MW would also be required to bring their own backup generation to avoid being shut off.

**Why it matters:** This is one of the clearest signals yet that grid operators are moving to protect residential power supply from AI-driven data center growth, which could raise costs and reliability requirements for future hyperscale AI campuses across the PJM territory covering 13 states and DC.

**Topics:** policy, infrastructure

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Read the original: https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/data-centers/new-data-centers-on-americas-largest-grid-face-first-in-line-blackouts-unless-they-bring-their-own-power
Canonical: https://www.parallelquant.com/posts/largest-us-grid-operator-wants-to-cut-power-to-data-centers-first-0ea641
Published by Parallel Quant — https://www.parallelquant.com