Broken Power Line Reveals New Threat from AI Data Centers: They Can Destabilize the Grid in Seconds

A power line break in suburban Washington D.C. highlighted a new issue that data centers can pose to power grids. After the break, more than 3 GW of load switched to backup mode almost simultaneously, causing a ten-minute voltage spike in the grid of PJM, the largest regional power operator in the US. According to TechCrunch citing PJM data, about 3.1 GW of consumption disappeared from the power system within 30 seconds. Power plants continued to run, leading to an excess of 3.49 GW at peak, and full stabilization took about 11 minutes. Experts note that such events are becoming more likely due to the high concentration of data centers for AI training in Northern Virginia, within PJM's territory. ON.Energy CTO Ricardo de Azevedo called it a warning of more serious problems. Ali Zain Banatwala of the Independent Electricity System Operator said most AI clusters react to voltage fluctuations almost simultaneously, causing a drop in consumption within seconds. ON.Energy proposes campus-wide uninterruptible power systems using batteries and power conversion equipment to smooth load changes. ERCOT plans to require large consumers, including AI clusters, to stay connected during short disruptions. According to Synapse Energy Economics, data centers accounted for about 6% of PJM's load in 2024, which could rise to 24% by 2040.