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Electricity Generation: Artificial Intelligence

Asked by Pippa HeylingsLiberal DemocratDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled Answered 8 September 2026UIN 22740

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether the review of AI deployment in electricity networks will include an assessment of the net effect on electricity demand of (a) AI-enabled grid efficiencies and (b) data-centre consumption.

Answered by Department for Energy Security and Net Zero

The Review’s Terms of Reference state that consideration of data centre energy usage is out of scope for the purposes of the review.

The Terms of Reference also state that the review will "assess the potential system benefits of AI including for affordability, energy security, flexibility, and decarbonisation, and the potential risks and challenges that could undermine delivery of these benefits".

Any recommendations to emerge from the review would be subject to their own assessments by Government, including the consideration of net impacts to electricity demand.

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