Fast and Permitted | Washington Clears the Way for AI

The White House recently released its AI Action Plan, a broad policy roadmap designed to cement American leadership in artificial intelligence. The plan includes sweeping executive orders aimed at removing regulatory barriers to accelerate infrastructure development, particularly in energy and data centers. 

One notable order, “Accelerating Federal Permitting of Data Center Infrastructure,” directs federal agencies to streamline approvals for both new data center construction and associated energy infrastructure. The order includes mandates to modernize the grid and to expand capacity to handle the expected rapid increase in power demand driven by AI workloads. Enverus Intelligence® Research (EIR) estimates installed capacity for U.S. data centers could reach [82 GW by 2035], about triple current levels. 

The new directive also encourages the use of federally owned land for both data center siting and power generation and calls for regulatory changes to speed permitting on both federal and non-federal lands. 

Significant development potential exists on private land, evidenced by EIR’s that identified [117 GW of potential capacity] across the Lower 48. Heavily concentrated in PJM and WEST, the acreage total highlights how much development is in motion and could benefit directly from faster permitting and reduced regulatory friction. 

The AI Action Plan could be one of the most consequential federal moves for U.S. power markets in years. As data centers become a cornerstone of digital infrastructure, enabling energy buildout is a national priority for President Trump’s administration.

Research Highlights:

• Large Load Battery Optimization – The BESS of Both Worlds – This report focuses on EIR’s proprietary Bilevel Battery Optimization Model, which selects an optimal battery size and operating strategy for a given large load. It focuses on both behind-the-meter and front-of-the-meter strategies, maximizing savings and revenue value streams. The model allows flexibility across different load profiles, pricing scenarios, tariff structures and battery parameters.

• PJM Capacity Auction – Putting the “Cap” in Capacity – This report analyzes the impacts of PJM’s 2026-27 capacity auction on the generation portfolios of VST, CEG, NRG and TLN.

• Class VI Update 2Q25 – Application Rebound, Primacy Push – In this quarterly report series, EIR provides an overview of recent changes and additions to the growing list of Class VI wells associated with CCUS projects in the U.S. Leveraging the Enverus FOUNDATIONS® – Carbon Innovation Wells database, we cover new Class VI applications, changes to permit status, permit approvals and newly disclosed project details.