Maryland Data Center News

Jun 10, 2026

New York Confronts the Data Center Boom: Balancing Growth and Grid Reform

Democratic legislators introduced a bill for a three-year moratorium on new large data centers, and Governor Kathy Hochul directed the New York State Public Service Commission to open a regulatory proceeding to reform large-load interconnections.

Three-year moratorium introduced by Democratic legislators: The bill would freeze state and local approvals for any new data center exceeding 20 MW for three years, require the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to conduct a comprehensive environmental review and issue regulations, and direct the state utility regulator to adopt rules preventing residential ratepayers from shouldering energy cost increases attributable to data centers.
Governor Hochul directed PSC to institute a proceeding under “Energize NY Development”: The PSC issued an Order Instituting Proceeding and Soliciting Comments (Case 26-E-0045) noting 11.9 GW of pending large-load projects in the NYISO queue (more than 8.3 GW entered in 2025); the Order lists six core objectives and sets initial comments due May 13, 2026 and reply comments due June 15, 2026, with a technical conference by Dec 31, 2026 and a white paper due Feb 12, 2027.

Jun 9, 2026

From Tail Risk to Design Baseline: How the Grid Is Adapting to Extreme Heat

POWER (Sonal Patel) reports that system planners and grid operators are now treating extreme heat as an assumed operating condition rather than a tail risk.

Main announcement/action: POWER summarizes that system planners and reliability entities (notably NERC and FERC) and operators are treating extreme heat as a design baseline, citing metrics such as EIA projection of ~1,610 CDDs for 2026 (4% above 2025), NERC’s 2026 Summer Reliability Assessment (net internal demand up 1.3% to 790 GW, and >58 GW of new on-peak capacity including 16.4 GW solar, 14.7 GW batteries, 6.7 GW natural gas, 1.6 GW wind), and FERC’s forecast of $46.81/MWh average wholesale price for summer 2026. The piece catalogues operational changes (hourly ambient-adjusted transmission ratings, dynamic line ratings pilots, ADMS/DERMS deployments) and emergency interventions (DOE Section 202(c) orders covering roughly 4,400 MW of extended capacity service).
Background and details: The article documents drought risks (FERC: 62% of continental U.S. impacted; Lake Powell inflow forecast at 13% of average), potential loss of up to 4,500 MW of Colorado River hydropower as soon as August 2026, rapid data center load growth (from 44 GW in 2025 to 55 GW in 2026, ~25%), and operational timelines (PJM implemented AAR on March 4, 2026; SPP expects AAR by Sept. 1, 2026; MISO full compliance by Q2 2028).

Jun 8, 2026

The AI Demand Dilemma: Utilities Confront Speculative Growth

Utilities across the US are rewriting tariffs, demanding financial guarantees, and altering transmission and procurement plans to avoid building infrastructure for speculative AI-related data center load requests.

Main action: Utilities (notably AEP and Duke Energy) are tightening large-load rules and requiring financial commitments to move projects forward: AEP winnowed more than 30 GW of preliminary requests to ~13 GW for formal studies and 5.6 GW with signed Electric Service Agreements; AEP proposed requiring customers to commit to paying for 90% of requested capacity for a decade before the utility builds supporting infrastructure. These measures include specialized large-load tariffs, collateral/minimum-usage guarantees, and phased energization schedules to limit ratepayer exposure.
Background and implementation details: Regulators and reliability bodies (NERC, ERCOT, FERC) are developing new categories and study frameworks (e.g., Computational Load Entity, batch study processes) and reliability guidance. Utilities are expanding financing and procurement: Duke extended a $10 billion master credit facility through 2031 and raised its five-year capital plan to $103 billion; AEP raised its five-year capital plan to $78 billion. Industry forecasts and planning estimates include Wood Mackenzie projecting the US data center electrical equipment market could grow to $65 billion by 2030, and Grid Strategies/ACEG estimating roughly 5,000 miles of new high-capacity transmission annually through 2035 (fewer than 1,000 miles built in 2024).

Jun 2, 2026 · Google

We’ve signed a first-of-its-kind agreement with Voltus to create a smart capacity solution for the grid.

Google has signed a three-year agreement with Voltus to create a smart capacity solution for the PJM grid.

Three-year agreement: Google and Voltus will unlock up to 100 megawatts (MW) of new electricity capacity from flexible distributed energy resources in the PJM grid region (which serves 67 million people). Voltus will orchestrate batteries and smart thermostats, reducing demand when the grid needs it and paying participating local homes and businesses. Implementation timeline: three years from the agreement start.
Background and supporting detail: The post links a Brattle report estimating U.S. consumers could save more than $100 billion over the next decade through smarter grid utilization; Google frames this as part of broader pilots (including data center demand response) to scale models that strengthen grids serving Google data centers.

Jun 1, 2026 · Information Technology and Innovation Foundation

Targeted Pressure: How Chinese Manufacturing Competition Impacts US States

The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) has published a report finding Chinese industrial policy is reshaping global manufacturing and harming industries across every U.S. state.

Main finding & method: The ITIF report (June 1, 2026) analyzes one “national power industry” per state using County Business Patterns employment data, HS/SITC export proxies, and global market-share series to conclude that state-backed Chinese subsidies, export pushes, and overcapacity are driving down prices and pressuring U.S. producers in sectors such as semiconductors, batteries, aircraft, and fabricated metals.
Key facts, numbers, and timelines:China plans ~$150 billion in semiconductor investment through 2030 vs. $52 billion under the U.S. CHIPS funding; the report cites $63.3 billion Chinese semiconductor spending in H1 2025, TSMC’s $165 billion U.S. investment announcement, GE Appliances’ $490 million Appliance Park investment (2025), and state/national export shares and HS-code trade series used throughout the analyses.

May 27, 2026

Cogent Communications to Sell 10 Data Centers to I Squared Capital

Cogent Communications has agreed to sell 10 data centers to I Squared Capital for $225 million in cash.

Transaction details: Cogent is selling 10 data center facilities to I Squared Capital for $225 million (cash); the deal is expected to close in Q3 2026. The portfolio provides approximately 53 megawatts of power capacity and about 259,000 square feet of colocation space across nine U.S. markets (Phoenix; Anaheim, CA; Burbank, CA; Stockton, CA; Atlanta; Chicago; Elkridge, MD; Kansas City, MO; Nashville, TN; Houston).
Platform and investment plan:I Squared Capital will create a new U.S. data center operating platform focused on high-density deployments, colocation and AI inference infrastructure, and plans to invest $1 billion via customer-led expansion, capital investment and additional acquisitions; the facilities are fee simple, liquid-cooling enabled with room for expansion and positioned near local internet exchanges. I Squared is described as a Miami-based infrastructure investor with about $60 billion in assets under management.

May 27, 2026

Cogent to Sell Phoenix Data Center as Part of $225 Million National Portfolio Deal

Cogent Communications Holdings, Inc. has announced the sale of 10 U.S. data center facilities to an I Squared Capital-sponsored entity for $225 million in cash.

Sale details: Cogent will sell 10 facilities located in Phoenix, Anaheim, Burbank, Stockton, Atlanta, Chicago, Elkridge, Kansas City, Nashville, and Houston for $225 million in cash; the transaction is expected to close on the later of June 12, 2026 or the expiration/termination of the applicable Hart-Scott-Rodino waiting period. (Cogent’s Tucson data center is not included in the announced sale.)
Portfolio & financing: The acquired portfolio comprises approximately 53 megawatts of installed power capacity and approximately 259,000 square feet of colocation space across nine U.S. markets; I Squared Capital has committed up to $1 billion to build the new U.S. data center operating platform via capital investment, customer-led expansion, and additional acquisitions. Proceeds from the sale are expected to support Cogent deleveraging tied to its 2023 Sprint wireline acquisition and will be contributed to Cogent Communications Group (its borrowing entity).

May 26, 2026

West Virginia’s Power Potential

Governor Patrick Morrisey announced the 50 by 50 energy plan to expand West Virginia’s generation capacity.

Main announcement: Governor Patrick Morrisey announced the 50 by 50 energy plan to increase state capacity from 15 gigawatts to 50 gigawatts by 2050, adopting an all-of-the-above approach; the plan includes a $1.44 billion investment (announced in 2025) to refurbish coal-fired power plants and actions to return Pleasants Power Station to full output. Also announced: a Hope Gas–WATT Fuel Cell customer program to make 7,250 WATT HOME fuel cells available to customers over the next three years.
Background and implementation details: The article summarizes stakeholder perspectives — West Virginia Department of Commerce / Office of Energy (Nicholas Preservati), West Virginia Coal Association (Chris Hamilton), PJM Interconnection (Asim Haque) and Gas and Oil Association of West Virginia (Rebecca McPhail) — on modernizing coal, expanding electric and gas transmission, addressing data center demand, leveraging Frontieras North America’s advanced carbon technology project, and relying on a recent FERC ruling to enable data center co-location with generators. It specifies current generating capacity (~14,000 MW; ~12,500 MW coal, ~1,000 MW natural gas) and emphasizes transmission/pipeline upgrades and site-readiness as prerequisites for project deployment.

May 26, 2026

Powering the Future

Governor Patrick Morrisey announced the 50 by 50 energy plan aiming to expand West Virginia’s generation capacity to 50 gigawatts by 2050.

Main announcement: The plan targets 50 gigawatts by 2050, positioning West Virginia as a primary supplier within the PJM Interconnection; the administration is streamlining permitting, coordinating with utilities, and targeting generation growth to support data centers and other energy-intensive industries.
Details & context: The West Virginia Office of Energy and Department of Commerce are coordinating generation and grid integration across a comprehensive portfolio (coal, natural gas, nuclear, utility-scale solar, wind, geothermal, hydrogen, hydropower, distributed solar, battery storage); stakeholders cited include FirstEnergy, the Public Service Commission and federal entities (PJM queue, FERC); lawmakers raised concerns about financial risk, local control, the West Virginia Load Forecast Accountability Act, and tax-treatment in House Bill 2014.

May 18, 2026

Roundup: Trump’s GOP grip / Amendment 3 / Powering AI

U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy finished third in Louisiana’s Republican primary.

Bill Cassidy finished third behind Julia Letlow (Trump-backed) and John Fleming; Cassidy voted to convict Trump after Jan. 6. National GOP figures frame the result as evidence of Donald Trump’s continued influence.
The article links the result to ongoing targeting of Republican critics, noting Trump is now focused on Rep. Thomas Massie.

Voters rejected Louisiana’s Amendment 3, blocking use of education trust funds for teacher retirement debt.

The rejection means colleges and public school systems in Louisiana will miss an estimated $70 million in potential savings for universities that proponents said would help offset budget deficits, inflation pressures, campus needs, and student success initiatives.
The piece reports the proposal would have deployed education trust fund balances to pay down teacher retirement debt; voters’ refusal prevents that reallocation.

Officials in at least six states are pushing back against utility rate increases amid AI-driven electricity demand.

Governors, attorneys general and other officials in Arizona, Indiana, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania are moving to block proposed utility rate increases and are pressing some utilities to change their financing model for major system upgrades.
The reporting ties the backlash to the artificial intelligence boom, higher electricity bills, growing utility profits, and increased demand from data centers.

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