Norwegian energy company Equinor ASA plans to invest approximately $940 million to acquire a substantial stake in the Lackawanna Energy Center, a natural gas power plant located in Jessup. The acquisition announcement cites rising electricity demand from data centers as a key factor. Invenergy, based in Chicago, will continue managing and operating the 1,485-megawatt facility.

Delaware is on the cusp of implementing new regulations targeting its burgeoning data center industry, driven by concerns over the impact on the state's electric grid and potential cost increases for consumers. The proposed Senate Bill 205 would require large energy users, including data centers that consume 30 megawatts or more of electricity, to secure a special certificate from the Delaware Public Service Commission before operation, while a separate bill aims to establish a dedicated electricity rate for these facilities. These measures aim to balance economic opportunity with grid reliability and affordability, as concerns over energy demands and potential price volatility rise following the announcement of a massive new data center project in Delaware City.

A growing coalition of state lawmakers and advocates is proposing significant changes to address the rapid expansion of data centers within the PJM Interconnection grid, which serves 13 states in the Northeast. The plan aims to balance incentives for data centers to generate their own power with measures to protect ratepayers and reduce blackout risk, including prioritizing power interruptions for data centers without on-site generation during periods of high demand. As the data center industry is projected to add nearly 32 gigawatts to the grid's peak load by 2030, lawmakers seek a collaborative solution to mitigate the impact on consumers and ensure reliable energy supply.