Utility Rates, Grid, and Markets
Investor-owned utility is a privately owned utility regulated by public utility commissions and accountable to shareholders. IOU service territories, tariffs, planning processes, and economic-development practices can materially shape data center site feasibility.
Economization uses favorable outdoor conditions to reduce mechanical cooling energy. The practical value depends on climate, air quality, humidity, water strategy, controls, and whether the system uses air-side, water-side, or refrigerant methods.
Read definition →Feasibility study is an early engineering screen of whether a proposed interconnection may cause system impacts and what broad costs could result. It is useful for early go/no-go decisions but is less definitive than system impact or facilities studies.
Read definition →Payment in Lieu of Taxes is an agreement where a project pays negotiated amounts instead of standard property taxes, often as part of an incentive or public-finance structure. PILOT value should be evaluated against baseline taxes and community costs.
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