Data Centers

Infrastructure Update – Week of June 1, 2026

Tunnels, Turnpikes, and NJ Transit - Oh my! This and more in this edition of Infrastructure Update.

The promise and peril of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

AI is reshaping New Jersey’s workforce in real time. As layoffs hit pharma and tech, the state is investing in AI hubs, data centers and workforce training to prepare for what comes next.

From Brownfields to Bytes: Data Centers Drive New Life on Polluted Land

No one wanted this polluted site—until AI showed up. Now it’s set to become a power-hungry data center. What does that mean for energy, jobs, and the community?

$20M NJ AI Hub fund launched to boost state’s AI startups [NJBIZ]

NJEDA and CoreWeave have launched a $20M NJ AI Hub Fund to support AI startups tied to the NJ AI Hub and boost innovation and job growth statewide. 

Why is Everyone So Wrong About AI Water Use?? [Hank Green]

A deep dive (pun intended) into AI water use

How Much Water and Energy do Data Centers Consume? A New Jersey Bill Demands Answers. [Inside Climate News]

"The debate mirrored a broader balancing act playing out across the country between the promise of AI-fueled development with the great costs to water and energy."

Data centers turn to commercial aircraft jet engines bolted onto trailers as AI power crunch bites — cast-off turbines generate up to 48 MW...

"...this is the first time they’ve appeared in any meaningful way at data center sites. That speaks volumes about just how tight power supplies in the U.S. have become."

Ask AI-“Who is responsible for NJ energy price increases?”

We ask AI why NJ energy prices are increasing, and to list sources.

Data Centers Put Pressure on Electric Grid [AP]

With massive data centers coming on-line faster than power plants can be built resulting in strains to electric grids, states and grid operators are proposing steps to keep the power flowing.

Amazon to invest $20 billion in Pennsylvania to expand cloud infrastructure [Reuters]

"The investment in Pennsylvania comes less than a week after Amazon said it will invest $10 billion in North Carolina and announced plans to invest more than $5 billion in its new cloud infrastructure in Taiwan."

Data Centers: New Jersey’s Position in a Booming Market

"For New Jersey, the path forward hinges on addressing its power infrastructure challenges and maintaining its competitive edge through continued investment and innovation. Success will mean not only capturing a share of this high-growth sector but also reaping the economic and jobs benefits that come with it."

ICF sees 25% load growth by 2030, up to 40% price increase [UtilityDive]

Dive Brief: U.S. electricity demand could grow 25% from 2023 to 2030 and 78% by 2050, driven in the near term by artificial intelligence data...

The Smart Bet: Natural Gas for AI [National Interest]

After many years of relatively flat demand, the U.S. power system is witnessing significant growth. There is no doubt that the AI revolution is a big part of that paradigm change and excitement, but not all energy sources are equally suited to the task and timelines."

The “Energy Transition” Won’t Happen [City Journal]

"There’s a full-on race in the tech industry, and in tech-centric investment communities, to spend billions of dollars on new AI-infused infrastructures. The furious pace of expanding manufacturing to produce AI-capable silicon chips and simultaneously building massive, AI-infused datacenters is shattering the illusion that a digital economy enables a decoupling of economic growth from rising energy use."

BRILLIANT MINUTES: AI’s energy needs [WBAY TV-2]

AI is going to change the way that we live, work, and play much like the smartphone and personal computer did. Maybe even more. There's...

Powering New Jersey’s Ambitious AI Push

Growth, Jobs, and Energy The data center industry is a massive and rapidly growing sector, valued at over $95 billion in 2023 in the U.S....

Generative AI’s environmental costs are soaring — and mostly secret [Nature]

Key points from this article: Environmental Impact: Generative AI systems require vast amounts of energy and water. For instance, training models like GPT-4 has led...