Critical Loop has replied to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission alongside almost 175 lawmakers, utilities, data centers, and consumer advocacy groups on the most significant energy-policy issue facing the country today.

The future of AI and advanced industry hinges on a complex challenge: how can big loads get power quickly without disrupting reliability or affordability for others? Critical Loop explained to FERC how firming up the flexible interconnection rules are key to maintaining American competitiveness.

Read Critical Loop’s comments to FERC here: 11/14 comments, 12/05 Reply Comments

The future of AI isn’t just about smarter chips and better models, it’s about how quickly these systems can get energized. Critical Loop’s premise is straightforward: If the U.S. is serious about leading in AI and advanced industry, the grid needs faster methods to feed in very large loads without causing disruptions and price spikes to existing users.

Setting the stage. After years of flat electricity demand, we are now seeing the grid reshaped by power-hungry AI clusters, hyperscale data centers, fabs, advanced manufacturing, and broad-based electrification. Time-to-power, or how rapidly these projects can get online, is increasingly shaping where they’re built and who wins the global race for AI and advanced computing.

The core problem. The interconnection process is ponderous. Big loads often need to be matched by transmission upgrades and new generation capacity which take years to permit and build. Those delays ground construction, jobs, tax revenue, and innovation to a halt, while other countries move faster.

A different way to connect. These new large loads are often built with onsite or nearby generation, storage, controls, and can limit their operation to alleviate pressure on the grid during peak times. Critical Loop supports a voluntary, enforceable system in which a customer abides by limits set by the utility in order to get connected sooner. At moments where the traditional grid can’t serve the load, onsite storage and generation should shoulder the burden, and the performance of these systems can be verified in return for earlier interconnection.

The big picture. Flexible interconnections are the operating model where innovation, reliability, and affordability can sprint towards the future together. Updating these rules is crucial for success because the countries that can energize infrastructure the fastest are the ones who will drive the future.