So, here I am again, analyzing IOU earnings calls and applying the bloviating the executives do to the reality facing landowners and ratepayers about how those profits materialize at their own pain and expense.
American Electric Power (partner in the proposed Valley Link 765kV transmission line) is just so gosh darned !EXCITED! about the uncontrolled growth of AI data centers.
American Electric Power (partner in the proposed Valley Link 765kV transmission line) is just so gosh darned !EXCITED! about the uncontrolled growth of AI data centers.
David Keith Arcaro: I was wondering if you could maybe just give more of a sense of how the conversations are going with data centers and constraints on the system that you are seeing. So I guess I am curious, are you able to keep up with the transmission capacity needs for data centers to handle all of this load growth? You know, it is the wait time, you know, to connect that you are having to discuss with these customers? And is it fair to characterize a lot of this transmission CapEx that you are adding to the plan here? Is that opening up additional capacity to bring in these new customers? Wondering how that all kind of balances right now.
William J. Fehrman: Yes. Thanks for that question. Really excited about where we sit in this regard. As we have noted in here, the increased incremental load growth projected through 2030 is the 28 gigawatts up from the 24 that we talked about before. And that demand growth is roughly 80% tied to data centers in the commercial class and about 20% tied to the industrials. Breaking that up a little more, about 75% is related to transmission and distribution, while 25% is tied to the vertically integrated utilities. And so as I look out across the RTOs, roughly half ends up in ERCOT, 40% in PJM, and about 10% in the SPP.
And so as we look at where we sit to connect these customers, clearly we are working with them to site where we have available transmission today to help them with their ramp-ups in the manner in which they want to run their side of the business. And then in other cases, we are working with them to put in place behind-the-meter solutions. Obviously, 190 gigawatts. But in the meantime, as Trevor noted, we are very focused on reporting what we have signed. We are going to under-promise and over-deliver in this area, but I could not be more excited with where we sit across our service territory.
We are in, I would say, the catbird seat with regards to connecting data center load. The 765 kV transmission network that we have provides us with an extreme competitive advantage for where these folks are trying to site. And so I just see an amazing future ahead of us in this area.
Except for those 765kV transmission lines that are NOT YET built, and may never be. Are the data centers dumb enough to believe AEP can get Valley Link built any time this century? New transmission lines that take new property their entire length attract enormous opposition from landowners, ratepayers, and local and state governments. The amount of opposition is directly related to the length of the line. 261 miles across West Virginia? That's a lot. Prepare for battle.
And what about West Virginia? What are you doing there?
And what about West Virginia? What are you doing there?
We continue to have conversations with state leaders regarding fair financial returns that they desire to attract more capital and make West Virginia an energy hub.
... we are fully engaged in West Virginia. We are working with all the stakeholders there, and that continues to be a major focus of mine. I am spending a significant amount of time in West Virginia to try and support a better outcome there.
Guess what? West Virginians are tired of being the energy serfs who sacrifice for the economic development of other states. We want to be more than just one gigantic power plant and a series of transmission lines. There's a reason our kids grow up and move away, and West Virginia's population continues to decline. There's nothing here for our young people anymore.
West Virginia has a remarkable opportunity right now, one it's been waiting for since the robber barons took control of our resources and our people more than 100 years ago. There's an enormous amount of money behind data center growth, and the one thing data centers need most of all is abundant electric power. West Virginia can attract that industry here because it is unique among Mid-Atlantic states as having an abundant supply of electricity. In fact, West Virginia produces so much it exports it to other states. Those other states use West Virginia's electricity to build their own economies with new data centers.
Stop exporting West Virginia's opportunities to other states on AEP's 765kV transmission system at West Virginians expense! The only ones who benefit from West Virginia being an "energy hub" are out-of-state corporations exploiting our people and our resources... the status quo for more than 100 years.
West Virginia has a remarkable opportunity right now, one it's been waiting for since the robber barons took control of our resources and our people more than 100 years ago. There's an enormous amount of money behind data center growth, and the one thing data centers need most of all is abundant electric power. West Virginia can attract that industry here because it is unique among Mid-Atlantic states as having an abundant supply of electricity. In fact, West Virginia produces so much it exports it to other states. Those other states use West Virginia's electricity to build their own economies with new data centers.
Stop exporting West Virginia's opportunities to other states on AEP's 765kV transmission system at West Virginians expense! The only ones who benefit from West Virginia being an "energy hub" are out-of-state corporations exploiting our people and our resources... the status quo for more than 100 years.
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