Exelon warns AI/data‑centre surge is straining US grid and driving up consumer bills

Exelon issues a stark warning on data‑centre driven demand

Exelon Corp is warning that rapid growth in data‑centre and artificial‑intelligence load is putting new pressure on the U.S. power grid and on consumers’ bills. Chief Executive Calvin Butler says rising electricity costs reflect “increased demand and inadequate supply,” noting American households pay about 42% more to power their homes in December 2025 than a decade earlier. Exelon, based in Chicago and owner of ComEd — the nation’s fourth‑largest utility — reports ComEd’s peak system load at roughly 23 gigawatts and says data‑centre demand on that system is expanding so that “by 2030, we’ll be at 19 gigawatts.”

Global and national energy agencies underscore the scale of the shift, with the International Energy Agency reporting U.S. data centres consumed more than 4% of national electricity in 2024 — roughly equivalent to Pakistan’s annual use — and forecasting consumption to rise about 133% by 2030, approaching the annual demand of France. Industry players and politicians increasingly link the surge to the deployment of AI facilities, some of which aim for high self‑sufficiency, heightening concerns that concentrated digital loads will drive up wholesale prices and complicate reliability planning for surrounding communities.

The growth compels utilities, regulators and developers to weigh a mix of responses to manage reliability and affordability as digital loads reshape electricity markets. Exelon and peers are evaluating transmission upgrades, new generation siting, energy storage, rate designs, onsite generation and demand‑management contracts with data‑centre operators. Regulators face trade‑offs between speeding permitting to keep supply apace and protecting customers from higher bills, while communities and companies plan for workforce, environmental and resilience implications as power systems adapt.

ComEd and Walker‑Miller win efficiency marketing award

The Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance announces on Feb. 3, 2026 that ComEd and Walker‑Miller Energy Services win an Inspiring Efficiency Marketing Award for ComEd’s 2025 Energy Saving Kits portal. The program uses ComEd market‑segmentation data, targeted email outreach and a secure mobile‑friendly application to deliver free LED bulbs, night lights and weatherization products to income‑eligible customers.

MEEA praises the initiative as a replicable outreach model that blends data‑driven targeting, a simple digital application and direct product distribution. ComEd and Walker‑Miller say the pilot shows measurable engagement gains and plan to scale the approach to expand clean‑energy access across northern Illinois.