Data Center

[Onslow]

Duke is planning on building a new power plant on or near the Perkins Game land on the Yadkin River according to someone in the know.

I've always held the position that CO2 emissions and all other associated environmental impacts too many to list were best addressed by reducing consumption. This unbridled AI exuberance and is sickening and stupid.

[trout-r-us]

Duke is planning on building a new power plant on or near the Perkins Game land on the Yadkin River according to someone in the know.

I've always held the position that CO2 emissions and all other associated environmental impacts too many to list were best addressed by reducing consumption. This unbridled AI exuberance and is sickening and stupid.

Of course, SOMEBODY will need to pay for all this added infrastructure.

"Duke Energy Progress seeks an 18% rate hike as bills have already risen by about 22% since 2020. Customers push back ahead of a public hearing on rising costs and accountability."

https://www.wral.com/news/local/duke-energy-residential-rate-hike-public-hearing-march-2026/

[Onslow]

The other concern is water.  Clickbait weather experts tend to be hysterical every time there is a weather inconvenience.  This tends to keep people ignorant as to what has happened in the past 100 years concerning rainfall or the lack thereof. During some of the more recent droughts, 1986, 2002, 2007 in the Piedmont, 2008 in the mountains, rainfall totals in Mt. Airy NC were around 33 inches.  1930, just 19.8 inches fell in Mt. Airy.  Folks, that's a 30 inch rainfall deficit for Mt. Airy. Can anyone imagine the shitshow that would ensue if the SE had a year with 20-25 inch rainfall totals given the current water demands, especially in North GA, and NC.  On our current trajectory,  Surry, Wilkes, Davie, Yadkin, Iredell may only see 25 inches this year.  It's already bad, and Summer ain't here yet.

https://www.extremeweatherwatch.com/cities/mount-airy/year-1930

[Woolly Bugger]

US Power Prices Climb 61% Faster Than Inflation as Demand Surges

Consumer prices climbed last month by the most in three years, but prices for electricity surged even more, highlighting an intensifying battle between utilities, consumers and power grids.
Electricity prices jumped 6.1% last month compared to a year earlier, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data published on Tuesday. That's well above the overall consumer price index, which rose 3.8%, the most since May 2023.

Mounting electricity demand from data centers has strained US energy grids, and customers are feeling the impact from soaring wholesale power costs. Lawmakers have attacked utilities and grid operators over higher electricity bills, while utilities and regulators are calling into question the design of the US grid. Concerns over energy affordability are emerging as a critical issue in this year's midterm elections.

https://archive.is/CxXXG