Weekly Data Center News: 01.20.2026

The third week of January 2026 is defined by a systemic effort to stabilize the relationship between massive data center growth and the aging North American power grid. As regional transmission organizations implement emergency procurement measures, developers are countering with unprecedented "super-site" proposals and sophisticated holding-company financing to bypass traditional capital constraints.

PJM Board Initiates "Reliability Backstop" to Secure Power

In a major move to protect grid integrity, the PJM Interconnection Board of Managers has directed the immediate initiation of a "reliability backstop" capacity procurement process.

• Supply-Demand Imbalance: The action follows a recent capacity auction that fell short of reliability targets by approximately 6.6GW due to surging demand from data centers.

• Pricing Protections: The Board is urging stakeholders to consider a "pricing collar" on upcoming capacity auctions to protect residential ratepayers from extreme price volatility driven by hyperscale competition.

• Operational Rules: New guidelines include establishing a fast-track interconnection for loads that bring their own generation and stricter rules for curtailing facilities that do not provide their own power.

Laramie County Welcomes Massive 10GW Data Center Proposal

Laramie County, Wyoming, has approved site plans for Project Jade, an initial 1.8GW AI data center campus with the potential to scale to a staggering 10GW.

• Scale and Scope: Developed by Crusoe in partnership with Tallgrass, the project would be one of the largest facilities in the United States, featuring five buildings totaling roughly 4 million square feet.

• Integrated Energy: The campus is co-located with the Cheyenne Power Hub, a dedicated 2.7GW natural gas power plant designed to provide on-site power for the facility’s hyperscale loads.

• Carbon Management: The site leverages its proximity to Tallgrass’s existing CO2 sequestration hub to provide long-term carbon capture solutions for the gas-fired generation.

DC BLOX Secures $250 Million for Southeast Expansion

DC BLOX has closed a $250 million HoldCo financing facility from Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), a subsidiary of BlackRock, to accelerate its digital infrastructure buildout.

• Strategic Flexibility: The financing provides growth capital at the holding company level, allowing the firm to scale its AI-ready infrastructure across the Southeastern U.S. without increasing leverage at the operational level.

• Vertically Integrated Model: The funds will support a portfolio that includes hyperscale data centers, subsea cable landing stations, and dark fiber networks designed for low-latency AI workloads.

Market Shifts and Regulatory Maneuvers

As developers move forward with massive acquisitions, local regulators are introducing "common sense" standards to prevent unregulated sprawl.

• New Era Energy Acquisition: New Era Energy & Digital has closed its acquisition of Sharon AI’s 50% stake in the Texas Critical Data Centers (TCDC) joint venture for $70 million. This gives New Era full control over the 1GW+ West Texas hyperscale campus.

• Montgomery County, MD: Two competing bills have been introduced to establish "science-based siting standards". One proposal by Councilmember Evan Glass calls for a 15-member task force to study environmental and utility impacts, while another defines data centers as a specific zoning use subject to conditional approval.

Infrastructure Solutions for Data Center Developers

In an era of reliability backstops and 10GW proposals, LandGate provides the parcel-level power data and environmental intelligence needed to secure project viability.

Book a demo with our team today to explore our tailored solutions for data center developers or visit our resource library for the latest industry insights.