Jan 6 (Reuters) – The U.S. Midwest Power Grid said on Tuesday it has partnered with Microsoft Corp (MSFT), the latest example of big tech companies turning to collaboration to help secure the massive amounts of power needed for artificial intelligence.
Over the past two years, as energy-intensive data centers drove U.S. electricity demand to record highs, the U.S. tech industry has deepened its ties to the power sector by entering into long-term supply deals and providing artificial intelligence assistance to maximize supply.
Last year, Google partnered with PJM Interconnection, the country’s largest grid operator, to use artificial intelligence to speed up the process of connecting new power supplies to the region’s grid.
In the latest partnership, Microsoft technology will be deployed in the Midcontinent Independent System Operator grid, which covers 42 million people in 15 U.S. states and the Canadian province of Manitoba.
Use of these technologies will include predicting and responding to weather-related grid disruptions, transmission line planning and accelerating certain operations.
“This acceleration is critical due to the increasing diversity of the energy mix, electrification, growing demand and the development of data centers,” said Nirav Shah, vice president, chief information officer and digital officer at MISO. “Now is the time to partner with organizations that share a common interest in modernizing grid operations for the future.”
Tuesday’s statement did not mention any financial details.
(Reporting by Leila Kearney in New York; Editing by Barbara Lewis)