California Data Center Intel

Recent California data center news

• Jan 2, 2026

  Meeting the Moment: Industry Leaders Chart the Course for Power in 2026

  POWER’s executive editor Aaron Larson compiles industry leaders’ perspectives on the power sector outlook for 2026, highlighting AI, data‑center demand, solar growth, supply‑chain constraints, and regulatory changes such as FEOC.

  • Main announcement/action: Industry leaders describe 2026 as a pivotal year where AI integration into grid management and data center-driven load growth will force planning for gigawatts of new capacity; examples and concrete figures cited include the Hale Kuawehi Solar and Battery Project reaching commercial operations on March 25, 2025 (30 MW PV + 30 MW/120 MWh storage), the IEA projection of ~3.68 TW of solar capacity added by 2030, and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory 2028 data‑center energy projections of ~325–580 TWh under different scenarios.
  • Background and specific details: The article documents regulatory and supply‑chain constraints including FEOC rules restricting tax credits for projects with covered‑nation links (China, Russia, North Korea, Iran); notable investments and timelines cited include National Grid investing £35 billion over the next six years to strengthen supply chains in England and Wales, Dominion Energy spending $2.1 billion on transmission in the prior year and planning >$2.8 billion annually starting in 2027, and Siemens Energy investing about €220 million (Sept 2025) in Nuremberg and $150 million in 2024 in Charlotte. It also notes the DeepSeek R1 release in 2025 as a pivotal event influencing data‑center power demand forecasts.
• Jan 2, 2026

  Reshaping the Power Grid: Driving Resilience Through DERs

  POWER reports that distributed energy resources (DERs) are advancing a more resilient and reliable power supply for utilities, homes and businesses, based on interviews and analysis with industry experts including Hal Corin (Viridi), Ken Irvin (Sidley Austin), Rex Liu (Generac), Sally Jacquemin (AspenTech), George Koutsonicolis (SOLIC Capital), and Terence Healey (Sidley Austin).

  • Main announcement/action: POWER summarizes that DERs, microgrids, and battery energy storage systems (BESS) are being deployed to improve grid reliability and resilience, with utilities and independent power producers using DERs for backup power, peak-shaving, VPPs (virtual power plants), and reduced transmission losses. Concrete examples: San Diego Gas & Electric launched four microgrids (serving schools, fire stations, and other community sites) that include battery storage; the article references the Experience POWER conference where speakers described DER benefits (Experience POWER, October last year, Denver, Colorado).
  • Background and details: Industry experts noted AI-driven optimization for forecasting and VPP creation, and investment trends for storage: the global BESS market is projected to grow to $120 billion–$150 billion by 2030, including more than $30 billion in the U.S.; technologies highlighted include solid-state batteries and non-lithium chemistries, as well as DERMS/REMS for market participation and compliance (e.g., with FERC 901).
• Jan 2, 2026

  Opinion: EPA helping AI industry grow but ignoring technology’s power to protect environment

  The EPA under Administrator Lee Zeldin is prioritizing removal of regulatory barriers to build AI-related infrastructure while failing to deploy AI tools to protect environment and public health.

  • Main action: The article argues the EPA is clearing the regulatory path for rapid growth in data centers and chip factories under Administrator Lee Zeldin, acting as a facilitator for the tech sector and the fossil fuel industry rather than centering environmental protection. The piece is an opinion by Avi Garbow, founder of Fiery Run Environmental Strategies and former EPA general counsel (served 2009–2017).
  • Background and details: The author notes the EPA currently uses AI mainly for basic office functions (e.g., sorting and summarizing public comments) and contrasts that with a proposed modernized Project XL (originally launched roughly three decades ago) to pilot AI-driven environmental safeguards (examples: flagging dangerous chemicals, identifying pollution hotspots, targeting inspections). No specific monetary figures, contracts, or timelines are provided in the article.
• Dec 30, 2025

  Australia $16.1 Billion Data Centre Operator AirTrunk Plans REIT IPO in 2026 to Raise $1 Billion, Blackstone & Canada Pension Fund CPPIB Acquired AirTrunk for $16.1 Billion (AUD 24 Billion) in 2024 from Macquarie Asset Management & Public Sector Pension Investment Board, AirTrunk Founded by Robin Khuda in Australia in 2015 and is in Australia, Japan, Malaysia, Hong Kong & Singapore

  AirTrunk is reported to be planning a REIT IPO in 2026 to raise $1 billion after being acquired in 2024.

  • Main announcement: AirTrunk is planning a REIT IPO in 2026 to raise $1 billion; the company was acquired in September 2024 by funds managed by Blackstone together with CPP Investments for an implied enterprise value of A$24 billion (US$16.1 billion). The transaction is subject to approval from the Australian Foreign Investment Review Board.
  • Background and details:AirTrunk was founded by Robin Khuda in 2015 and operates across Australia, Japan, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Singapore; it has more than 800MW committed to customers and land to support over 1GW of future growth. Blackstone (stated ~US$1 trillion AUM) and CPP Investments (stated AUM figures in the release) led the acquisition from Macquarie Asset Management and the Public Sector Pension Investment Board; Blackstone cited AI-driven demand and an existing data-center pipeline (US$55bn in data centers and ~US$70bn prospective pipeline) in its statement.
• Dec 30, 2025

  Credo Releases 2025 Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Report

  Credo Technology Group Holding Ltd released its 2025 Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Report.

  • Main announcement: Credo reported advances in energy-efficient connectivity aimed at supporting the energy-efficient growth of AI data centers, highlighted improvements across its product portfolio (targets for 100G, 200G, 400G, 800G and emerging 1.6T port markets), strengthened its Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, expanded employee programs, and broadened Credo Cares partnerships in 2025. The company’s CEO, Bill Brennan, is quoted describing product improvements and reduced power consumption efforts in 2025.
  • Background and details: The report emphasizes product families including SerDes and DSP technologies, Integrated Circuits (ICs), Active Electrical Cables (AECs) and SerDes Chiplets; markets noted are optical and electrical Ethernet interconnects (100G–1.6T). The release links to Credo’s ESG page and includes media and investor contacts (diane.vanasse@credosemi.com, dan.oneil@credosemi.com).
• Dec 30, 2025 · Rest of World

  The year in charts

  Rest of World launched a Charts page and highlighted 10 favorite charts from 2025.

  • Main announcement: Rest of World launched Charts, curating 10 original charts covering topics including BYD overtaking Tesla in EV sales, data center spending and jobs, the global AI race, Huawei’s push into emerging markets, and the OnlyFans economy; the piece links to in-depth writeups and visualizations (see Charts page).
  • Additional details/background: The roundup cites specific findings and events: BYD passed Tesla as top EV seller; tech giants claim their data centers create thousands of jobs but permit-file analysis found only hundreds of full-time roles (security/cleaning); Huawei is targeting emerging markets amid U.S./EU bans; Donald Trump announced a $100,000 fee for new H-1B applicants (September 2025); other items include Ola’s rise and crash, India avoiding U.S.-style restrictions on Chinese tech, AI chatbots replacing “chatters” on OnlyFans, Taiwan’s low fertility context, 85+ nations with space programs but ~12 active spaceports, and Japanese convenience stores hiring robots tele-operated from the Philippines.
• Dec 30, 2025

  Dilip Buildcon Wins ₹1,850 Crore 400 kV Power Transmission Project In Karnataka

  Dilip Buildcon Limited has been awarded the L-1 contract by REC Power Development and Consultancy Limited to develop a 400 kV sub-station at Mekhali (Belagavi District, Karnataka) and associated 400 kV and 220 kV transmission lines.

  • Project structure & scope: Award under BOOT model via Tariff-Based Competitive Bidding (TBCB); Dilip Buildcon to hold 100% equity in the SPV and act as the Transmission Service Provider (TSP), responsible for development, financing, design, procurement, construction, testing, commissioning, and long-term O&M.
  • Key commercial and timeline details:EPC value ₹1,850 crore (excluding GST); construction and commissioning to be completed within 24 months from the effective date; tariff-based annuity model with an operational/annuity period of 35 years from COD. The company notified BSE/NSE and will keep the trading window closed for designated persons until 48 hours after public disclosure.
• Dec 29, 2025

  Amazon Data Centers Aren’t Raising Your Electric Bills—They May Be Lowering Them

  Amazon Web Services commissioned an E3 study finding its data centers generate surplus revenue and are not subsidized by other utility customers.

  • Main finding and scope: The E3 study projects $33,500/MW in surplus value in 2025 rising to $60,650/MW by 2030; for a typical 100‑MW data center this equates to $3.4 million in 2025 and ~$6.1 million in 2030. The study assessed multiple utility territories including PG&E, Dominion Energy, Entergy, and Umatilla Electric Cooperative, concluding revenues above regulated returns can fund grid modernization without shifting costs to residential ratepayers.

  • Partnerships, structures, and project details: AWS and utilities are using innovative models (e.g., NIPSCO GenCo: 3 GW investment with 2.4 GW for data centers and 600 MW reserved for grid reliability); NIPSCO projects ~$1 billion in cost savings returned as bill credits over a 15‑year duration. Other specifics include Entergy Mississippi’s $300 million Superpower Mississippi grid campaign, AWS’s >600 renewable projects (claimed to power 8.3 million U.S. homes), investments in nuclear and 11 solar-plus-battery projects, and AWS efficiency metrics (Graviton up to 60% less energy, Inferentia2 up to 50% better performance per watt, PUE 1.15 in 2024, 35% embodied carbon reduction).

• Dec 29, 2025

  North Texas Startup Joins Microsoft, NVIDIA, and Utilities in Open Power AI Consortium Focused On How We ‘Make, Move, and Use Electricity’

  KYRO AI signed a memorandum of understanding with the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) to join the Open Power AI Consortium and will contribute field-tested utility operations expertise to the consortium’s effort to develop open-source AI models and a sandbox for electricity-sector applications.

  • Main announcement: KYRO AI (Plano) signed an MOU with EPRI to participate in the Open Power AI Consortium (OPAI) alongside tech firms (Microsoft, NVIDIA, Oracle, AWS) and major utilities (Duke Energy, Exelon, Southern California Edison). KYRO will bring field-level operational data and workflows to help build open-source models and testcases for forecasting demand, triaging outages, and prioritizing work in the consortium’s sandbox environment.
  • Background and details: The consortium (announced March 2025) is developing domain-specific LLMs trained on EPRI data and aims to shorten interconnection study timelines (currently up to 4 years) by at least five times. Article cites specific figures: 22% rise in U.S. data-center power demand this year, a potential $22 billion in returns from cutting permitting timelines by one year, and a near $10 million error at the founder’s prior company as context for KYRO’s founding.
• Dec 29, 2025

  Golden State Fiber Poised to Connect 31,000 Locations in Rural California

  The Golden State Connect Authority announced it has secured $110.9 million in revenue bond financing to advance construction of an open-access public fiber network serving rural California.

  • Main announcement: The GSCA (representing 40 California counties) issued $110.9 million in revenue bonds (approved by the GSCA executive committee in October, priced in late November, closed Dec. 16, 2025) to fund fiber construction not covered by grants; the bonds will be repaid from system revenues once the network is operational and included participation from seven private investment firms.
  • Background and project details: The bond financing complements $185.4 million in Federal Funding Account grants from the California Public Utilities Commission (covering roughly 70% of total construction costs), will deploy fiber across Alpine, Amador, Glenn, Imperial, Mono, Tehama counties and the Town of Mammoth Lakes, is expected to reach over 31,000 locations, and will operate under an open-access municipal model with operational support from UTOPIA Fiber.