A co-chair of the U.S. Congressional artificial intelligence task force has called on federal energy regulators to endorse the establishment of data centers that are directly linked to power plants, emphasizing the importance of national security and the competition for global leadership in AI, as outlined in a letter reviewed by Reuters dated December 5.

U.S. Congressman Jay Obernolte urged the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to act swiftly in developing regulations that facilitate the growth of AI, which requires substantial electricity, by allowing the creation of co-located AI data centers.

Obernolte, a Republican from California, stated, "As energy demands rise, the establishment of co-located energy production will be crucial in alleviating grid pressure, enhancing resilience, and lowering carbon emissions."

The concept of co-location, which enables data centers to connect to power sources more rapidly than if they had to wait for access to the larger grid, has led to discussions among regulators regarding its impact on the reliability of the national electrical system.

Recently, FERC voted 2-1 against a proposal to increase the capacity of an Amazon data center situated at a Talen Energy nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania, expressing concerns about how redirecting nuclear-generated electricity to the center might influence the overall grid.

"I urge the Commission to avoid any further delays in these decisions as you work towards shaping the future of the nation's energy landscape," Obernolte remarked.

Talen, an independent power producer, has requested FERC to reconsider its interconnection agreement. Additionally, Constellation Energy, the largest operator of nuclear power plants in the U.S., has lodged a complaint with FERC regarding co-location issues.