# Why is NERC so worried about data centers?

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/volts-3501275/why-is-nerc-so-worried-about-data-centers
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/volts-3501275/why-is-nerc-so-worried-about-data-centers.md
Podcast: [Volts](https://stenobird.com/podcast/volts-3501275)
Published: 2026-06-10T16:02:00+00:00
Episode link: https://www.volts.wtf/p/why-is-nerc-so-worried-about-data
Audio file: https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/199556943/fe1f3b5ef2472a31990f3adac30cefea.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/volts-3501275/episodes/why-is-nerc-so-worried-about-data-centers
Duration seconds: 4419

## Resource

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.volts.wtf/subscribe The North American Electric Reliability Corporation has issued a historic warning about AI data centers. I chat with energy experts Colin McCormick and Doug Bryan about the unique electrical engineering challenges of giant computational loads that can abruptly drop hundreds of megawatts of power in the blink of an eye. We dive into the upcoming regulatory battle between hyperscalers and operators, the sudden rush for firm gas generation, and how software updates and battery storage could eventually make data centers a tool for grid stability instead of a liability.

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## Transcript

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