According to Cointelegraph, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) report indicates that cryptocurrency mining and artificial intelligence operations are driving power demand to new highs in North America, especially in connecting large data centers and facilities to the grid. This surge in demand will pose challenges for power forecasting and reliability. The power usage of crypto mining fluctuates with market prices, increasing the complexity of grid management.
NERC's long-term reliability assessment shows that particularly in Texas, peak demand is expected to grow by 4.6% annually by the summer of 2029, which is four times the previous forecast. As cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence become mainstream, their operations pose challenges to the stability and reliability of the grid, especially during peak periods or operational failures.
To address the grid pressure, NERC recommends measures such as improved demand forecasting, advanced transmission planning, and expanded demand-side management (DSM) programs. Texas has implemented energy response and demand response programs and introduced legislation to improve tracking of distributed energy resources (DERs). Meanwhile, some mining companies like MARA are shifting towards renewable energy, such as acquiring wind farms in Hansford County, Texas.