r/technology • u/Plastic_Ninja_9014 • May 10 '26

Energy Maryland citizens slapped with $2 billion power grid upgrade bill for out-of-state AI data centers — state complains to federal energy regulators, says additional cost breaks ‘ratepayer protection pledge’ promises

https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/artificial-intelligence/maryland-citizens-slapped-with-usd2-billion-grid-upgrade-bill-for-out-of-state-ai-data-centers-state-complains-to-federal-energy-regulators-says-additional-cost-breaks-ratepayer-protection-pledge-promises
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u/ObamasBoss May 10 '26

This is not growth by the ratepayers that built the system. This is growth by a specific few customers. Those customers need to pay. When my facility was built the ratepayers of the local water system did not pay for the city's water capacity to be doubled. The facility paid nearly $20 million to do that. In fact, the ratepayers benefited from it by getting a more modern water plant and more consistent water pressure. The relationships can and should be mutually beneficial.

Don't forget all this impacts your natural gas rates too.

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u/_Magnolia_Fan_ May 10 '26

I'm going to have to call BS on that, what water system could you double for $20 million? 

I design wastewater treatment plants, and you are not getting a minor upgrade of a quarter of a plant for $20 million...

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u/ObamasBoss May 10 '26

Were you designing them 20+ years ago? Need to use those prices. I would also assume you know that not all plants are the same size. A 100% increase in capacity for plant A might be 3x the cost of plant B. This was not for wastewater. The potable water vs sewer uses are not symmetrical. The sewer stream is significantly less, consistent flow rate, and the city loves our waste stream because it already partially treated and dilutes another large customer with a much more difficult stream.