Google Signs 1GW Virtual Power Plant Deal With Voltus for PJM Grid

3 articles · Updated · Computerworld · Oct 23

Google agreed with Voltus to build a 1-gigawatt virtual power plant for the PJM region, a sharp expansion from the 100-megawatt deal the companies signed earlier this year.
The project will not generate electricity itself; it will pool flexible capacity such as batteries and temporary demand cuts that can be dispatched during peak usage.
Voltus secures that capacity by paying companies and power resellers to curb consumption—shutting industrial processes or adjusting large numbers of smart thermostats when the grid is stressed.
PJM serves 67 million people across 13 states and Washington, D.C., making the deal a high-profile response to data-center power demand that is lifting prices and straining local infrastructure.