Questions
Each page answers one question only from recorded Cartas, and says plainly what is not yet recorded.
- How much electricity do data centers use and will they use, and why do the estimates differ so much?Published estimates of data-center electricity use differ widely. Much of the difference is not a dispute about the same quantity: sources describe different years, areas and scenarios, and some count power demand while others count annual energy or a share of a different total. Each claim below keeps its source's scenario and definition, and ranges are shown as ranges.
- How much large load has been requested in ERCOT, and why do the headline figures differ?Reported totals for the ERCOT large-load queue differ widely. Most of the difference is not disagreement: figures come from different report dates and count requests through different horizon years. Each claim below keeps the filter its source published.
- What share of the ERCOT large-load queue is data centers, versus crypto, industrial or unspecified load?ERCOT classifies tracked large-load projects by type. The data-center share is shown as ERCOT labels it. Other categories are recorded only where the source prints a value for them.
- How much requested large load in ERCOT reaches approval to energize, and how much is actually drawn?Requested capacity, approval to energize and observed consumption are different quantities. They are shown side by side from a single source report, never combined into one figure. ERCOT publishes several peak definitions; each is kept separately. ERCOT does not publish these stages by request cohort, so this is a stock view, not a cohort conversion.
- How much large load is PJM adding to its summer peak forecast, and in which zones?PJM does not run a queue for large loads; connecting them is handled by states and utilities. What PJM publishes is its load forecast, including how much it adds to each zone's summer peak for large loads such as data centers. These are PJM's screened forecast values, not what utilities requested, and each is for a stated target year in a stated forecast vintage.
- How much capacity holds an interconnection agreement but is waiting on transformers or turbines?A project can clear the interconnection queue and still wait years for transformers, switchgear or turbines. No primary source publishes this quantity directly. This page shows what is recorded on each side of it.