Commercial and industrial (C&I) energy buyers are already feeling the ripple effects of the AI boom. While data centers are generating headlines and promising faster innovation at every turn, the demand they create is straining the grid. The pressure is playing out in real time in control rooms, substations, and utility bills across the country.
As more AI infrastructure comes online, it’s commercial energy buyers who are left to deal with the consequences.
AI Power Demand Is Reshaping the Grid, Fast
Data centers aren’t like office buildings. Each new facility can draw as much power as a small city, with round-the-clock load and growing water needs for cooling. The rise of AI has only accelerated that trend, as machine learning models require increasingly energy-intensive computing infrastructure.
In regions like PJM, the pressure is already being felt. The interconnection queue is so congested that the grid operator has launched PJM Fast Track, a reform to speed up the approval of critical new generation projects. But infrastructure takes years to build. Meanwhile, electricity demand is surging today, and the strain is already triggering emergency responses that often hit C&I customers first.
Curtailments Are Already Hitting Commercial and Industrial Buyers
C&I energy buyers are facing curtailment events more frequently, with AEP’s (American Electric Power) June 24 emergency call in PJM being one example. It was part of a broader pattern. PJM issued a steady stream of maximum generation alerts, hot weather alerts, and emergency operation updates in the weeks that followed, reflecting rising strain across the grid.
Other grid operators across the country have issued similar warnings this summer, too:
- ERCOT (Texas) has seen record demand driven by extreme heat and rapid industrial growth, including data centers. The state legislature recently passed a law requiring certain large flexible loads to curtail usage during emergencies, directly impacting commercial energy buyers.
- MISO (Midcontinent Independent System Operator)
declared hot weather alerts and capacity advisories throughout late June, with warnings of potential rotating outages in Louisiana and Mississippi.
These events represent real operational and financial disruptions for C&I businesses, especially those not enrolled in or prepared for grid demand response programs.
Who Pays the Price for Grid Instability?
When energy demand spikes or infrastructure falls short, the system turns to the flexible loads that can act fast. That often means commercial energy buyers get the call to curtail usage, sometimes with less than an hour's notice.
Even businesses not directly participating in a formal demand response program can still feel the ripple effects:
- Peak Load Contribution (PLC) spikes that increase capacity costs for the following year
- Volatility in energy pricing, especially for customers exposed to pass-through costs
- Usage penalties or forced curtailments triggered by supply constraints or utility programs
These surprises are hitting businesses that are simply trying to keep the lights on and the production line moving. And the pressure isn’t going away.
The Bigger Issue: A Lack of Visibility Into Market Dynamics
Many C&I customers aren’t aware of the market signals affecting their bills. Peak demand, RTO curtailments, congestion pricing, and infrastructure bottlenecks are rarely part of day-to-day conversations in procurement or operations, until the impact is already baked into a monthly statement.
For example:
- A manufacturer in PJM may unknowingly hit peak during a 5CP event, resulting in elevated costs for the next 12 months.
- A distribution center may be contractually on the hook for congestion charges that spike during grid emergencies.
- A retailer in ERCOT may not even realize their operations qualify for grid demand response, missing an opportunity to reduce risk and earn revenue.
Understanding the why behind these impacts is the first step. Having a plan to address them? That’s where Pilot can help.
How Pilot Helps Commercial Energy Buyers Respond with Strategy
At Pilot Energy, we work with C&I clients across the country to provide the insight, tools, and strategy needed to manage energy risk in a changing market. We serve as an extension of your team, helping you understand what’s happening in your region, and what to do about it.
Here’s how we help:
- Regional Expertise: We stay on top of RTO-level events, including alerts, curtailments, and programs like PJM Fast Track, so you’re never caught off guard.
- Flexible Sourcing Strategies: Whether you’re in a high-volatility zone or have sites across multiple markets, we design energy supply plans that balance risk, cost, and reliability.
- Demand Response Support: We help you participate in grid demand response programs in ways that make operational sense, turning risk into opportunity and ensuring readiness during emergencies.
- Long-Term Planning: From capacity charge management to contract structuring and peak load forecasting, we help you think beyond the next billing cycle and toward long-term performance.
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Looking Ahead: A Grid Under Pressure, A Market in Transition
AI power demand is only expected to grow. BloombergNEF forecasts tens of gigawatts of additional demand by the end of the decade, much of it concentrated in already-strained markets like PJM and ERCOT. As more of these loads come online, grid stress will become more frequent, and commercial energy buyers will remain on the front lines.
Now’s the time to get proactive. Waiting for clarity means exposing your business to avoidable costs, reactive decisions, and operational strain. Partnering with Pilot Energy means you don’t have to figure it out alone.
About Pilot Energy
Pilot Energy is a boutique energy advisory and procurement partner helping businesses manage rising energy costs with confidence and clarity. Founded in 2001, we provide independent, data-driven strategies for energy procurement, energy risk management, utility cost reduction, and long-term commercial energy savings.
We work closely with finance, operations, and sustainability teams to create custom energy roadmaps, aligning energy procurement, forecasting, and carbon reduction goals. With a blend of market expertise and digital platforms, we help you reduce volatility, improve budget predictability, and plan smarter in any market.
Schedule a consultation with Pilot Energy today and start building a smarter energy strategy.