Unleashing Low-Cost Rural AI Act

The Secretary of Energy shall designate a National Laboratory to conduct a study on the impact of artificial intelligence and data center site growth on energy supply resources in the United States.

The study under subsection (a) shall address the following:

(1) Whether any updates to existing infrastructure are necessary to support the co-location of artificial intelligence and data center site development.

(2) With respect to the co-location of artificial intelligence and data center sites, the feasability of using alternative sources of energy, such as hydroelectric dams, solar farms, wind farms, solar and wind battery storage sites, and carbon capture facilities, in addition to nuclear and geothermal sources of energy.

(3) The impact of the co-location of artificial intelligence and data center sites on energy costs, energy supply, energy supply reliability, land-use, water-use, and cost to consumers.

(4) Whether, and to what extent, there are deficiencies in energy supply resources.

(5) The means to expedite any review under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) or to more expeditiously meet any permitting requirements to develop any artificial intelligence or data center sites, and any associated generation, transmission, and distribution assets.

The study under subsection (a) shall prioritize the impact of artificial intelligence and data center site growth on energy supply resources in remote areas.

Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Energy shall submit to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report on the findings of the study conducted under subsection (a).

In this section:

The term artificial intelligence has the meaning given such term in section 5002 of the National Artificial Intelligence Initiative Act of 2020 (15 U.S.C. 9401).

The term co-location means, with respect to an artificial intelligence or data center site, placing such site upon a parcel of land that is owned and operated by a public utility.

The term National Laboratory has the meaning given such term in section 2 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 15801).

The term remote area means an area for which the Economic Research Service of the Department of Agriculture has developed a frontier and remote area code.