Electricity demand in the United States is surging, driven by data centers used to power artificial intelligence, as well as industrial manufacturing and the growing electrification of transportation and heating. A first-of-its-kind analysis released by Duke researchers in February 2025 suggests that taking advantage of load flexibility could enable the U.S. power system to more quickly absorb the new demand while mitigating the need for costly expansion of grid capacity. Lead author Tyler Norris testified about the key findings in March 2025 before the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Energy in a hearing titled “Scaling for Growth: Meeting the Demand for Reliable, Affordable Electricity.” The analysis, conducted by researchers from the GRACE Lab at the Nicholas School of the Environment and at the Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment and Sustainability, is the most-downloaded publication produced over the Nicholas Institute’s two decades. By June 30, the analysis had been featured in more than 40 media and trade outlets. In addition, several tech companies have enacted ideas from the paper. READ MORE.
Aerial view of a data center in Sterling, Virginia. Photo/iStock.