AI Data Centers' Power Surge Triggers Utility Warning in Mississippi

Two sources revealed earlier this year that Entergy, a Mississippi utility provider, warned Amazon it would have to cut power to its data center during peak demand hours to ensure supply for other customers. Such blackouts are rare for large clients, but this previously unreported warning highlights how surging electricity needs from AI cloud providers are forcing utilities to take unprecedented measures to balance demand. The Entergy alert prompted AWS to upgrade its automatic power-switching systems, which transition data centers from the grid to backup sources like gas generators.