Infrastructure limit for AI scaling in the US: data center resource shortages and their impact on the 2026 midterms

At the end of December 2025, the largest US power grid operator, PJM Interconnection, recorded record results from a capacity auction, which directly translate into increased electricity bills in 13 states and the District of Columbia.

The price reached $333.44 per megawatt-day, and the gap between available capacity and reliability requirements was about 6,600 megawatts, underscoring a systemic imbalance between the pace of connecting AI data centers and the pace of introducing new generation.

According to Reuters, capacity prices in PJM have risen by approximately 1,000% over a two-year period precisely because the demand from large AI data centers has begun to outpace supply, and in some jurisdictions, bills have already increased by more than 20% since the summer of 2024.