Trending Now - Data Centers Hinder States' Progress on Clean Energy Targets
WHO:
AP News - Jason Hoffman, chief strategy officer of Switch data center.
AP News - Howard Watts, Democratic Assemblymember of Las Vegas.
AP News - Shawn Elicegui, senior vice president of regulatory and resource planning for NV Energy.
AP News - Olivia Tanager, director of the Sierra Club’s Toiyabe chapter covering Nevada.
AP News - Dan Diorio, vice president of state policy for the Data Center Coalition.
The Washington Stand - President Donald Trump.
The Washington Stand - Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.).
WHAT:
AP News - Switch data center has built 1 gigawatt of solar energy and is in the process of building more solar fields.
AP News - The public utilities commission in Nevada may impose a fine or grant an exemption if NV Energy fails to meet the state’s clean energy goals.
AP News - Nevada’s largest utility, NV Energy, may not meet its 2030 clean energy goals due to demands from data centers.
AP News - NV Energy will need three times the electricity required to power Las Vegas to handle proposed data centers.
AP News - Nevada's clean energy targets require 50% renewable power by 2030.
The Washington Stand - The Institute for Energy Research (IER) found no statistically significant correlation between the number of data centers in a state and its electricity prices.
The Washington Stand - U.S. data centers consumed 76 terawatt-hours (TWh) in 2018 and roughly 176 TWh by 2023, a 131% increase.
The Washington Stand - Meta’s data center consumption rose from 6.97 TWh in 2020 to 18.06 TWh in 2024, a 159% increase.
The Washington Stand - Seven major companies, including Google, Oracle, and Meta, signed Trump's Ratepayer Protection Pledge.
WHERE:
AP News - The Switch data center is located south of the Las Vegas Strip.
AP News - Nevada, specifically Las Vegas and Boulder City.
The Washington Stand - States with significant data center presence include Virginia, Texas, California, Illinois, and Ohio.
WHEN:
AP News - NV Energy is set to publish a report with more specifics by the end of April 2026.
AP News - Nevada's clean energy goals are set for 2030.
The Washington Stand - The IER study analyzed data from 2015 to 2025.
The Washington Stand - The data center consumption figures are from 2018 and 2023, with Meta's figures from 2020 and 2024.
WHY:
AP News - Environmental groups want the state to make the volunteer funding model for clean energy development mandatory.
AP News - The demand for electricity from data centers is primarily driven by the growth of artificial intelligence technologies.
The Washington Stand - Concerns about rising electricity demand and prices have led to political discussions about the impact of data centers.
HOW:
AP News - NV Energy requires companies to sign contracts ensuring their commitment to the state before energy is built.
AP News - NV Energy requires data center developers to fund their own infrastructure and energy needs, which do not have to be renewable.
AP News - Nevada has a volunteer funding model for clean energy development that allows companies to count their contributions toward corporate energy goals.
(UPDATED April 9, 2026 17:21 UTC)
Switch data center, located south of the Las Vegas Strip, has successfully built one gigawatt of solar energy and is expanding its solar fields. Meanwhile, the Nevada public utilities commission is considering a fine or exemption for NV Energy, which is expected to release a detailed report on its clean energy goals by the end of April 20th26. Environmental groups are advocating for a mandatory funding model for clean energy development, emphasizing the importance of companies signing contracts to confirm their commitment to the state's energy initiatives.
--
(UPDATED April 9, 2026 13:21 UTC)
Nevada's largest utility, NV Energy, is facing challenges in meeting its 2030 clean energy goals due to the increasing electricity demands from proposed data centers, which could require three times the power needed to run Las Vegas. As the demand for electricity from data centers surges, driven largely by the growth of artificial intelligence technologies, political discussions are intensifying regarding the implications for energy prices and availability. NV Energy has mandated that data center developers finance their own infrastructure and energy needs, which do not necessarily have to come from renewable sources, while Nevada's voluntary funding model allows companies to count their contributions toward corporate energy goals.