Data center boom straining New York power grid as lawmakers ask who should pay

The New York State Assembly held a hearing on Thursday to examine rising energy costs for everyday utility customers tied to new consumers on the electric grid, like artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency data centers. The Assembly Energy Committee addressed concerns that surging demand from these massive energy users will drive up bills for New Yorkers.

The hearing convened just as a new report from the Climate and Community Institute and Public Grids concluded that the design of electricity rates itself—which prioritizes private profit over universal public service—is the core reason for soaring utility bills. Authored by Isaac Sevier and Roshan Krishnan, "Overcharged: The Rules Of The Electricity Affordability Crisis" said that the data center boom merely aggravates flaws that alre