AI data centers are turning transmission lines into one of the next major bottlenecks in U.S. computing infrastructure.

Reuters reported October 13 that rising data-center demand is strengthening the case for new long-distance power lines, especially in PJM territory. The report says roughly 37.7 GW of new generation is currently blocked by transmission upgrades needed before those projects can connect.

TechCrunch’s July report on a PJM transmission-line failure showed how a single grid event caused roughly 3 GW of data-center load to drop almost simultaneously, highlighting why transmission reliability matters as AI load grows.

PJM has already approved a major expansion. In February, the grid operator said its board backed about $11.8 billion of transmission projects, including new 500 kV and 765 kV lines, upgrades to existing facilities and its first underground HVDC line.

PJM explains how its regional grid moves electricity across 13 states and Washington, D.C.

The key distinction is that these projects are not solely “AI power lines.” PJM says its reliability upgrades respond to multiple pressures, including accelerated load growth, changing generation patterns and regional power flows. But AI data centers are now large enough to materially change the planning equation.

The trend connects directly to BitcoinVersus.Tech’s coverage of PJM’s new data-center registry, the DOE emergency power order, and the question of whether SMRs are actually available yet. Power generation is only half the problem; the electricity still has to reach the load.

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