How data centers can affect your electricity bill

Several experts have warned that the boom in electricity-intensive data centers could lead to significantly higher electricity prices. SVT asked an expert to calculate how 1000 MW in increased consumption affects the electricity bill.

In the clip, we go through how the electricity price can be affected for different housing types.

Place of production matters

Several data centers promise to compensate for their electricity consumption, for example by investing in wind farms in Sweden or abroad. Investing in nuclear power is also a possibility according to Google - in an exclusive interview with SVT. In that case, it can make the impact on the price less. But it also matters where you put the new electricity production.

- From a Swedish perspective, it would be best if the new production was expanded in the south of Sweden and the new electricity use in the north. Then we will get a more even price picture, but that also means higher electricity prices for northern Sweden, says Christian Holtz.

Biggest impact in the south

At Svenska kraftnät there is a queue of 7000 MW. This is the power that data centers in Sweden applied for and corresponds to approximately seven nuclear power plants. The corresponding five of these apply to applications in electricity area three. If electricity consumption increases there, it mainly affects the electricity price in electricity areas three and four.

- If it comes to 1000 MW in electricity area three, it will mainly affect those who live in electricity areas three and four, says Christian Holtz.

Uncertain prognosis