Last week, Department of Energy Secretary Chris Wright directed the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to add grid connections for data centers to its portfolio with the aim of accelerating the timeline for approvals. NAIOP has identified the need to increase the availability of electricity for commercial real estate, including data center development, as a top public policy issue. In February of this year, NAIOP members met with their political representatives in Congress during NAIOP’s Chapter Leadership and Legislative Retreat, where the availability of electricity for development was a key issue.

According to the Energy Department’s press release, the proposed rule is intended to accelerate the connection of data centers to the electric grid and would “significantly reduce study times and grid upgrade costs, while reducing the time needed for additional generation and power to come online.” In the letter to FERC transmitting the proposed rule, Wright stated that the U.S. must “ensure that all Americans and domestic industries have access to affordable, reliable, and secure electricity” and that this was “an urgent issue that requires prompt attention.”