Energy supplier abandons Lake Tahoe residents to serve data centers

NV Energy announced it will end power supply to Lake Tahoe's Liberty Utilities after May 2027, citing capacity needed for data centers in Northern Nevada. The region has become a rapidly growing data center hub with Google, Apple, and Microsoft operating or planning facilities, with 12 data center projects potentially driving 5,900 megawatts of demand by 2033. The 49,000 Lake Tahoe residents affected have little leverage competing in Western electricity markets against major utilities and industrial buyers.

Source: Ars Technica | 2026-05-14