According to the latest report issued by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), the U.S. power regulatory body, as many as 151 million Americans—nearly half of the entire U.S. population—are set to face the threat of power shortages or even widespread blackouts within the next five years. High - risk areas encompass the Mid - Atlantic, Midwest, Pacific Northwest, and Texas regions, spanning the three main power grids across the United States.

The report highlights that the growing threats are the result of a confluence of factors. Firstly, the aging infrastructure is constantly battered by extreme weather conditions. Secondly, there's been a significant uptick in power demand, largely fueled by the expansion of data centers. Thirdly, there have been delays in updating retired power plants.

Over the next ten years, the summer peak electricity demand in North America is expected to surge by 224 gigawatts. This represents a 69% increase compared to last year's forecast. The bulk of this new demand will originate from data centers that are supporting the ongoing AI boom.

At present, over 200 million people in the U.S. live in areas where the risk of power outages is significantly heightened. Nevertheless, the U.S. Department of Energy is taking steps to address the issue. It is advocating for the delayed retirement of aging power - generating units and encouraging stronger collaboration between the natural gas and power sectors. These measures have the potential to alleviate some of the impending risks.