Data Centers, as one Emerging type of energy user
From NERC on Monday 4th May 2026 is this Level 3 Alert published by NERC with respect to ‘Computational Load Modeling, Studies, Instrumentation, Commissioning, Operations, Protection, and Control’:
Through (late February and ) March 2026, there’s been a series of different publications from different organisations, domestically and internationally, relating to Large Loads (and specifically Data Centres).
On 30th March 2026, the Energy Systems Integration Group (ESIG) has released this new white paper: ’Historical and Modern Large Loads Characteristics, Context, and Industry Actions to Meet Grid and Customer Needs’.
On 25th March 2026, the ESIG Large Loads task force released its 24-page report ‘Large Load Disturbance Events’:
On 3rd March 2026, the Energy Systems Integration Group (ESIG) has released the report ‘Large Load Performance Requirements – Current Practices and Recommendations’.
On 17th March 2026 the NERC published the 66-page ‘Aggregated Report on NERC Level 2 Industry Recommendation: Large Load Interconnection, Study, Commissioning, and Operations’.
On 11th March 2026, the NERC published the White Paper ‘Assessment of Gaps in Existing Practices, Requirements, and Reliability Standards for Emerging Large Loads’ published
On Monday 23rd March 2026, the Federal Government published ‘Expectations of data centres and AI infrastructure developers’ .
On 12th March 2026, the AEMC noted that they propose ‘... new grid standards for data centre connections’.
Mitch O'Neill examines how data centres have rapidly replaced hydrogen in planning models as the dominant new source of electricity demand, and what their power density and locational constraints may mean for the grid.
Warwick Forster looks at the evolving role of data centres in portfolio management and corporate sustainability ambitions.
A short note (and link to) the Mandala report titled ‘Empowering Australia’s Digital Future Data Centres: Essential digital infrastructure underpinning everyday life’.
For ease of future reference (with more analysis coming - time permitting) we've extracted what we can find in the 2024 ESOO about Data Centre electricity consumption, and growth forecasts.