AI data centers reportedly cause power problems in residential areas – Tom’s Hardware

Power Quality Declining Near Data Centers

Reports from around a million residential power quality sensors throughout the contiguous United States show that power quality is declining in areas near massive data centers. The Bloomberg special report shows that the worst distortions often occur within 50 miles of a major data center, affecting nearly 3.7 million Americans. Poor power quality reduces the life span of electrical appliances, which can cause malfunctions, overheating, and electrical fires.

Data Collection and Analysis

The data behind the report was gathered through Whisker Labs Ting devices, smart sensors that monitor the overall electrical quality in your home and help prevent electrical fires. With over a million devices deployed nationwide, nearly 90% of American homes have a Ting sensor within a half-mile radius. These sensors provide Whisker Labs with granular data, allowing the company to see consumers’ average power quality within their homes in a given area.

Impact of Poor Power Quality

“Harmonics are a pretty good canary in the coal mine for early signs of stress and problems,” says Whisker Labs CEO Bob Marshall. Bloomberg likens poor harmonics or power quality to the static you hear from speakers when it’s pushed beyond its limit. It’s also like trash in the middle of the road, which impacts all users in the area, not just the immediate home, says Hasala Dharmawardena, a senior engineer at the North American Electric Reliability Corporation.

Disputing Claims

However, the power providers in some of the affected areas are disputing these claims. “ComEd strongly questions the accuracy and underlying assumptions of Whisker Lab’s claims,” Commonwealth Edison spokesperson John Schoen said in an email to Bloomberg. “Ting devices are installed in the home and do not directly measure harmonics on the grid.” Commonwealth Edison is the utility company that delivers power to the Chicago area.

Virginia power provider Dominion Energy also says it hasn’t seen the distortion levels reported by Whisker Labs and claims its measurements stay within industry standards. Although the company said that there were a few instances where higher-than-normal disruption occurred, these were usually because of abnormal configurations or teething issues that appeared with new equipment. These are often immediately resolved, says the company.

Sustainable Solutions

Thankfully, Bloomberg says there is an easy solution to this problem, and some solutions are already being worked on. But in the meantime, power companies should look into the data Whisker Labs delivered, especially if they’re widespread. After all, issues appearing in hundreds of homes might be a problem with the electrical infrastructure within those buildings. Still, if the issue affects millions of Americans, it could likely be a symptom of a more widespread grid problem—something that must be addressed before it’s too late.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Analysis

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

The article discusses the declining power quality near data centers, which is connected to the availability of affordable and clean energy (SDG 7). It also mentions the use of smart sensors and data gathering, which relates to industry, innovation, and infrastructure (SDG 9). Additionally, the impact of poor power quality on electrical appliances and the need for addressing grid problems align with the goal of sustainable cities and communities (SDG 11).

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• SDG 7.2: Increase the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix
• SDG 9.4: Upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable
• SDG 11.6: Reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities

The article highlights the need to address power quality issues near data centers, which can be achieved by increasing the share of renewable energy in the energy mix (SDG 7.2). It also suggests the importance of upgrading infrastructure to ensure sustainable power supply (SDG 9.4). Additionally, improving power quality contributes to reducing the adverse environmental impact of cities (SDG 11.6).

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Percentage of renewable energy in the energy mix
• Number of infrastructure upgrades and retrofits for sustainability
• Improvement in power quality indicators (e.g., harmonics, disruptions)

The article does not explicitly mention specific indicators, but it implies that monitoring the percentage of renewable energy in the energy mix can measure progress towards SDG 7.2. The number of infrastructure upgrades and retrofits can serve as an indicator for SDG 9.4. Additionally, measuring improvements in power quality indicators such as harmonics and disruptions can assess progress towards addressing the adverse environmental impact of cities (SDG 11.6).

4. Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: tomshardware.com