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Reward scheme for using less power at peak times could help lower US bills.

A cheap, bipartisan tool could help the US meet increasing energy demand
from AI datacenters while also easing soaring power bills for households,
preventing deadly blackouts and helping the climate.

The policy solution, called “demand flexibility”, can be quickly deployed across the US.
Demand flexibility essentially means rewarding customers for using less
power during times of high demand, reducing strain on the grid or in some
cases, selling energy they have captured by solar panels on their homes.

Peak power demand is expected to grow by 20% over the next decade –
driven by the dramatic rise of AI datacenters, onshoring of manufacturing,
increasing use of EVs and growing need for air conditioning amid hotter
summers. Increasing energy demand is putting states such as California and Texas at higher risk of life-threatening blackouts in extreme weather.
Meanwhile, the average household price of power increased by 9.5% this
year. The largest increase was in Missouri, which jumped by 38%.

 Guardian 17th Oct 2025, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/oct/17/tool-lower-home-energy-bills

October 19, 2025 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | ENERGY, USA