By Senators Kent Conrad and Saxby Chambliss:
Energy abundance could be the deciding factor in whether America or China wins the race for global artificial intelligence leadership. Right now, China is surging in that race — and they’re winning it on the power grid, not just in the lab.
Beijing has treated AI as a national mission since 2017, mobilizing its entire economy around one goal: building the energy to power the future. America’s crumbling grid is handing them that advantage. As a result, China generates twice as much electricity as America does and will add 60 percent additional capacity by 2040.
Unfortunately, our grid cannot say the same. After decades of underinvestment in our physical backbone, our energy system is fragmented, outdated, and unreliable. Seventy percent of our transmission lines are at least 25 years old. Our grid also faces structural red tape, which limits its efficiency. Some 12,000 energy projects are awaiting regulatory approval for connection.
Increased energy demand is a signal of growth and innovation. The issue is when the supply can’t keep up with demand.
Our lack of supply has enabled China to build an early lead in the AI adoption race. Eighty-three percent of Chinese companies use generative AI, while just 65 percent of American companies do the same. Innovation requires a stable, high-capacity environment that the U.S. currently struggles to provide.
Recognizing this challenge, the administration recently announced a “Ratepayer Protection Pledge,” creating a framework that allows technology companies to finance new power generation while protecting consumers from rising energy costs. The initiative reflects a growing recognition in Washington that AI leadership depends on abundant, reliable electricity.
But federal action alone won’t be enough. America’s national strength ultimately depends on the decisions made across the country. The choices made locally shape both America’s strength and community prosperity.
Our home states offer proof that America can meet this moment. North Dakota produces more energy than it uses and is the third-largest producer of crude oil in the nation, making it capable of meeting AI’s power demands.
Georgia is also already showing the way on energy, adopting a strategy that incorporates all types of energy to meet the load growth of the AI era. In December, the Peach State approved 10,000 megawatts of new energy capacity from natural gas, while the Plant Vogtle nuclear plant is now the largest clean energy generator in the nation.
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