As the worldwide demand to build and operate data centers continues to grow, regions hosting these data centers are experiencing infrastructure bottlenecks and risks to grid reliability due to the influx of large data centers. This report provides an overview of the various efforts underway to develop technical requirements for protecting the grid against potential risks associated with large-scale data center operations. The scope covers efforts by grid operators, utilities, industry trade groups and associations, along with standard-setting bodies. Specifically, the report reviews these efforts to provide recommendations for new IEEE standards and definitions to address the challenges posed by data center deployment. By identifying common grid requirements for data centers between grid operators and utilities, this report can also guide the development of these recommended harmonized grid standards to speed data center development while assuring grid reliability. The review of these ongoing efforts yields a roadmap for future standards development, which this report highlights. The companion report will address the performance issues from the perspective of providing effective protection for IT systems of the data centers. The reports only cover technical issues. They are not designed to compile data on regulatory, governmental, and policy measures aimed at reducing financial risks to utilities and their customers or fostering faster growth of the AI industry.
- Status
- Published White Paper
- History
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- Published:
- 2026-01-29
Working Group Details
Other Activities From This Working Group
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