AI data centers could cause power problems in the US

AI data centers are being assessed to be impacting power quality, such as possibly causing damage and overheating of consumer equipment.

Bloomberg statistics show that within 80 kilometers of artificial intelligence data centers, power quality has significantly decreased, affecting nearly 3.7 million people. Poor power quality also reduces the life of electrical equipment, increasing the risk of damage, overheating and fire.

Inside a data center. Photo: Pixhere

The data is collected via Whisker Labs' Ting - a smart sensor that monitors overall home power quality and prevents fires. The sensor provides Whisker Labs with an assessment of the average power quality in the area.

“Harmonics are an early indicator of stress and problems in the electrical system,” says Bob Marshall, CEO of Whisker Labs. He compares the noise to the buzzing of a speaker being pushed beyond its limits or to the trash on the road blocking traffic. Hasala Dharmawardena, senior engineer at the North American Electric Reliability Organization, makes a similar assessment.

Harmonics are unwanted noise waves that negatively affect power quality and appear when using non-linear loads (such as inverters, voltage converters, UPS...) and have adverse effects on equipment and machinery.

However, some suppliers in the affected area have disputed the claim. John Schoen, a spokesman for Commonwealth Edison, which provides electricity to the Chicago area, expressed doubts about Whisker Labs' accuracy and assumptions: "The Ting device is installed in homes, not directly measuring harmonics on the grid."

Virginia-based electricity provider Dominion Energy also said it had not seen the level of power quality degradation reported by Whisker Labs and insisted its measurements were within industry standards. The company said it had experienced a few higher-than-normal outages due to unusual equipment configurations or the use of new equipment, but these were immediately resolved.

According to Tom's Hardware , utilities still need to study Whisker Labs' data. If hundreds of homes are affected, it may be an infrastructure issue. But if millions are affected, it may be a grid issue that needs to be addressed before it's too late.