Rising electricity demand could impact costs, experts say

DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) — As electricity demand continues to rise across the country, experts say the way homes are powered could come at a cost. Dr. Michael Craig says that electrification, data centers, and climate change are driving demand.

"Going forward, we expect all three of those things to continue to drive electricity demand more and more. So that, in high-end scenarios, we have like 50% growth in demand by 2050. So that is a lot more growth than we have experienced over the last decade and a half," Craig said.

To meet power demand, the energy grid must evolve. Many states, including Illinois, are investing in renewable energy sources such as wind and solar as they decommission coal-fired plants.

"A study that just came out last year estimated half a million deaths over two decades were the result of particulate matter emissions from coal-fired power plants. So they have this enormous health burden," Craig said.

Many companies are using renewable energy for data centers. Still, the Union of Concerned Scientists finds that data centers can increase utility bills due to increased demand on the power grid.

"We found that data centers could be responsible for billions of dollars in electricity system costs in the coming decades. So it's really essential we have state protections in place to avoid other ratepayers shouldering that cost," said James Gignac from the Union of Concerned Scientists.

Illinois lawmakers are working on bills to put protections in place. Experts say each community must balance reliability, cost, and the impact of these projects on public health.