UK power grid nears fossil-free milestone, but 140 planned data centers threaten clean energy gains

Summary

Britain's power grid nearly achieved a landmark clean energy milestone in early April, with fossil fuel generation dropping under 1% for a brief period. However, the rapid growth of AI-linked data centers—potentially 140 new facilities—poses a serious threat to this progress, as they require enormous amounts of electricity. Reddit discussions highlighted concerns that the surge in data center energy demand could undo years of decarbonization efforts in the UK's power sector.