As the use of artificial intelligence grows, so does the technology required to store its data — and the energy that infrastructure consumes. At a recent forum about “securing Missouri’s energy future,” lawmakers, regulators, lobbyists and advocates discussed the challenge of powering new data centers. A data center is a physical location that houses internet servers.
Large tech companies are making plans to build them across the country. AI data centers use significantly more energy than current data facilities. “We’re in (a) precarious position,” said Geoff Marke, chief economist with the Missouri Office of Public Counsel.
“We don’t have enough generation to meet our load before we start talking about AI data centers coming online.” Marke and the other energy experts gathered in Jefferson City expressed concern about resource adequacy — whether the state makes enough energy for its own use. “Historically, at a real macro level .
.. we get most of our energy out of state,” Marke said.
“Then we use more energy than we produce in state.” The energy industry is experiencing seismic change. Coal plants are retiring and renewable generation is coming online.
However, its reliance on the sun and wind tend to make it less consistent. Additionally, increasingly severe weather has negative effects on the grid, which is especially detrimental to a state like Missouri that depends on interstate transmission lines to deliver power. The growing popularity of .