Several large data ⁠centers and crypto facilities planning to connect to the Texas power grid ahead of peak summer ⁠demand have failed key reliability tests, raising the risk of power outages just as electricity use hits its seasonal high, according to the state grid operator. The rapid expansion of data centers processing vast amounts of data for artificial intelligence and crypto mining is straining power grids across the United States. Unlike traditional industrial customers, which tend to draw electricity steadily and predictably, data centers ​are engineered to cut their connection to the grid at the first ⁠sign ... (full story)