WASHINGTON — As summer electric bills arrive with a jolt , a newly released independent report points the finger squarely at the data center industry for the dramatic rise in wholesale power costs—spikes that are now hitting consumers in the wallet .

The analysis, authored by Monitoring Analytics, the independent watchdog overseeing bulk electricity market operations by regional grid operator PJM, concluded that explosive growth in electricity demand from data centers is the “primary reason” behind a sharp price surge in PJM’s most recent capacity auction.

That auction, which sets future prices utilities must pay for reliable electricity three years in advance, cleared at $269.92 per megawatt-day—a staggering 800% increase from the previous year. Utilities pass these costs on to

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