Power gridlock

…Electricity is increasingly the fuel of choice for the nation’s economy in general and is the main driver of the information technology sector in particular. It has been estimated that electric-powered information technology accounts for 60 percent of new capital spending.

Standing alone, the five leading Internet search engines will consume 5 gigawatts of electricity in 2006. That equates to the amount of electricity needed to run the city of Las Vegas.

Meeting the insatiable energy needs of technology firms and creating adequate power supplies for the new economy is, therefore, an issue of national and state import – both for international competitiveness and Colorado’s comparative advantage in the national economy. Put simply, proximity to reliable, cheap power and adequate transmission is a critical factor driving companies’ decisions on where to locate and grow.

Colorado faces severe challenges on both the supply and transmission fronts if it wants to keep apace with the new economy.

Rocky Mountain News