What Will Power California’s AI Future? | CalMatters Live

(November 21, 2025)

As California races to break its dependence on fossil fuels and expand clean energy, a new power player is emerging: data centers. Driven by the explosive growth of artificial intelligence, these energy-hungry facilities are reshaping the state’s electricity landscape. Cities like San Jose are courting data centers that run around the clock, with demand from such projects potentially rivaling the power used by 20 million homes within 15 years. Other states have seen prices soar and fossil fuels rebound. Can California — the heart of tech innovation — harness AI without blowing its clean-energy goals?