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PG&E Unveils $73 Billion Spending Plan to Meet Surging Data-Center Energy Demand

PG&E plans to invest $73 billion by 2030 to upgrade transmission infrastructure to accommodate a surge in electricity demand from data centers. The utility is working to serve 10 gigawatts of new demand over the next decade, driven by AI and other technologies. The plan also includes nearly 700 miles of underground power lines and 500 miles of wildfire safety upgrades. PG&E unveils $73 billion spending plan to meet surging data-center energy demand | Reuters

U.S. Electrical Grid Infrastructure to Gain $20B Investment from Avangrid by Kim Riley

Avangrid Inc., a leading energy company and member of the Iberdrola Group, said Wednesday it plans to invest $20 billion in United States electrical grid infrastructure through the end of the decade.  Executives discussed how growing energy demand requires a critical need to invest in energy infrastructure, and that the U.S. is a top investment destination as Avangrid and Iberdrola modernize and expand the country’s electrical grid. They also noted that the investment plan could also include opportunities for new generation. Avangrid has about $50 billion in assets in the United States across 23 states and employs over 8,000 people. Its eight electric and gas utilities in the Northeast serve more than 3.3 million customers. Avangrid also owns and operates about 10.5 gigawatts of electric generation capacity, capable of producing enough electricity to power over three million homes.  U.S. electrical grid infrastructure to gain $20B investment from Avangrid – Daily Energy Insider

More Electricity Needed Faster to Further National Energy Security, Says S&P Global Report by Kim Riley

The summary of the S. National Power Demand Study— which will be released in its entirety in the coming weeks — highlights the extent of the electricity demand growth facing the United States, and presents some of the tools that can be tapped to meet the moment in furtherance of national energy security. Electricity demand in America will surge by 35 percent to 50 percent between 2024 and 2040, primarily driven by AI data centers, new manufacturing activity, electric vehicles (EVs), space-heating electrification, and broad economic growth, according to the S&P Global study. A key finding is that the demand is growing faster than the supply of new energy solutions that could power it, creating an urgent need for faster policy action on permitting and grid interconnection and an all-of-the-above energy strategy within the sector, according to S&P Global.  More electricity needed faster to further national energy security, says S&P Global report – Daily Energy Insider

 

What Are Stablecoins and How Do They Work?

Stablecoins are less volatile than other cryptocurrencies (like Bitcoin) and due to crypto assets’ inherent instability, stablecoins are growing in popularity with both crypto and traditional markets. Stablecoins are a type of crypto asset, but one that offers a way to bridge the gap between fiat currencies like the U.S. dollar and cryptocurrencies. Because they are price-stable digital assets that behave like fiat but maintain the mobility and utility of cryptocurrency, stablecoins are a novel solution to crypto volatility: price stability is built directly into the assets themselves.  There are four primary stablecoin types, identifiable by their underlying collateral structure: fiat-backed, crypto-backed, commodity-backed, and algorithmic stablecoins.  What Are Stablecoins and How Do They Work? | Gemini