<description>Over the last half decade, &lt;a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2025-ai-data-centers-electricity-prices/?embedded-checkout=true"target="_blank" &gt;wholesale electricity prices have increased 267%&lt;/a&gt; in places close to data centers. That’s contributed to a backlash against new ones. &lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;But some experts believe data centers are a scapegoat for long-term issues with an aging U.S. grid. Today on the show, we ask who is responsible for rising electricity prices and whether the U.S. can handle a new era of grid growth. &lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;em&gt;Come see Planet Money live on stage! 12 cities. Details and tix here: &lt;/em&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.planetmoneybook.com/#tour"target="_blank" &gt;&lt;em&gt;planetmoneybook.com/#tour&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Related episodes: &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/02/03/nx-s1-5696566/all-these-data-centers-are-gonna-fry-my-electric-bill-right"target="_blank" &gt;All these data centers are gonna fry my electric bill … right?&lt;/a&gt; &lt;br&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/12/19/nx-s1-5649814/ai-data-center-electricity-bill"target="_blank" &gt;What AI data centers are doing to your electric bill&lt;/a&gt; &lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;em&gt;For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at &lt;/em&gt;&lt;a href="http://plus.npr.org/"target="_blank" &gt;&lt;em&gt;plus.npr.org&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;em&gt;.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;em&gt;Fact-checking by &lt;/em&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.npr.org/people/1268825622/sierra-juarez"target="_blank" &gt;&lt;em&gt;Sierra Juarez&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;em&gt;. &lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt;Music by &lt;/em&gt;&lt;a href="https://dropelectric.bandcamp.com/"target="_blank" &gt;&lt;em&gt;Drop Electric&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;em&gt;. Find us: &lt;/em&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@planetmoney"target="_blank" &gt;&lt;em&gt;TikTok&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href="https://www.instagram.com/planetmoney/"target="_blank" &gt;&lt;em&gt;Instagram&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href="https://www.facebook.com/planetmoney"target="_blank" &gt;&lt;em&gt;Facebook&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href="https://www.npr.org/newsletter/money"target="_blank" &gt;&lt;em&gt;Newsletter&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;em&gt;. &lt;/em&gt; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;See &lt;a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com"&gt;pcm.adswizz.com&lt;/a&gt; for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy"&gt;NPR Privacy Policy&lt;/a&gt;</description>

The Indicator from Planet Money

NPR

Where AI data centers are reducing power bills

APR 9, 20268 MIN
The Indicator from Planet Money

Where AI data centers are reducing power bills

APR 9, 20268 MIN

Description

Over the last half decade, wholesale electricity prices have increased 267% in places close to data centers. That’s contributed to a backlash against new ones. But some experts believe data centers are a scapegoat for long-term issues with an aging U.S. grid. Today on the show, we ask who is responsible for rising electricity prices and whether the U.S. can handle a new era of grid growth. Come see Planet Money live on stage! 12 cities. Details and tix here: planetmoneybook.com/#tourRelated episodes: All these data centers are gonna fry my electric bill … right? What AI data centers are doing to your electric bill For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.  To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy