Data Center Expansion Raises Fears of Rising Electricity Bills for Citizens. While the rapid expansion of data centers is a symbol of technological advancement around the world, an invisible effect is gradually emerging—Fear of increase in electricity bills. The electricity cost of the common citizen may increase due to excessive electricity consumption, infrastructure pressure, and policy weaknesses. In this blog, we have simply analyzed the issue.
Introduction
Have you noticed that electricity bills have been increasing day by day over the past few years? Many people think that this is a result of fuel prices or government decisions. But the story doesn’t end there. There is another big player behind the scenes—Datacenter।
Let’s try to understand it simply. Today, when we use Facebook, watch videos on YouTube, store files in the cloud, or use AI tools, huge data centers are working day and night behind all of this. These data centers require a huge amount of electricity to run.
This raises the question—who is bearing the burden of this additional electricity cost? The technology companies, or ultimately, us ordinary citizens? Fear of increase in electricity bills. Is it really real? Let’s understand the matter step by step in this blog.
What is a datacenter and why does it use so much electricity?
Many people think of a data center as just a “server house.” In reality, it’s like a small, power-hungry city. Thousands of servers, cooling systems, backup generators—it all runs 24/7.
I myself had the opportunity to tour a regional data center project a few years ago. I was surprised to see that it takes more electricity to keep the servers cool than just to run them.
According to data from the International Energy Agency (IEA),
- In 2022, data centers worldwide will consume 460 terawatt-hours of electricity.
- This number will be close to double by 2026.
Where will this huge electricity demand come from? It starts here. Fear of an increase in electricity bills।
What is happening in Europe and America?
There is now a lot of concern about data centers in Europe and America. Let’s take the example of the city of Dublin, Ireland.
By 2023, the country’s total electricity consumption will be about 21%. The cost was only on the data center. As a result, the government was forced to impose stricter requirements for approving new data centers.
The picture is no different in the United States. The state of Virginia, known as the “data center capital,” has seen so much pressure on the power grid that there have even been public hearings on the fears of rising electricity bills for local residents.
These events give us a clear message—the more data centers there are, the more pressure on the power system will increase.
Datacenter and power reality in Bangladesh
Now let’s come to our country. There are now multiple data centers operating in Bangladesh, both public and private. The National Data Center at Bangabandhu Hi-Tech Park, private cloud services, and all are growing rapidly.
The majority of electricity generation in Bangladesh is still based on gas and coal. Here, excess demand means—
- Import dependence will increase
- Production costs will increase.
- Subsidy pressure will increase
This has a direct impact. Electricity bill-A. Over the past decade, we have seen a gradual increase in electricity prices. This trend is likely to intensify as data center power consumption increases.
Data Analysis: Where is the real pressure?
Data analysis shows that a medium-sized data center uses about the same amount of electricity per year as a20-30 thousand families. It is possible to run.
Two things are important here:
- Data centers typically receive electricity at industrial rates.
- The cost of grid upgrades and infrastructure development falls on the state.
In other words, this cost falls on the shoulders of citizens, if not directly, then indirectly. Therefore, experts say, Fear of an increase in electricity bills Not a fantasy at all, but a slowly emerging reality.
Benefits of technology vs. civil costs
I want to stop here. Technology is definitely needed. Without a data center—
- Digital services will stop
- The startup ecosystem will suffer.
- AI and data analysis will not be possible
But the question is—who will pay the price for this benefit?
Is it fair if tech companies profit and ordinary people bear the burden of electricity bills?
This is the question now worrying policymakers around the world.
Is renewable energy the solution?
Many people say, “If the data center uses solar or wind energy, what’s the problem?” This is partially true.
Companies like Google, Microsoft, and Amazon are investing in renewable energy. But in reality—
- Not all data centers run on 100% green energy.
- This benefit is more limited in developing countries.
In countries like Bangladesh, the share of renewable energy is still low in total generation, Below 5%. As a result, as data centers grow, pressure will ultimately fall on the conventional grid.
Pressure on local infrastructure
Datacenters are not just about electricity—
- Water usage increases
- Pressure on transmission lines
- There is a risk of load shedding.
I have personally seen in some IT park areas that voltage fluctuations have increased in the surrounding residential areas. These small signs are indicative of bigger problems in the future.
What should policymakers do?
According to experts, if some action is not taken now, Fear of increase in electricity billsWill become a reality.
Possible solutions could be:
- Mandating separate green energy for data centers
- Transparent tariff structure on electricity consumption
- Regulatory oversight to protect citizen interests
International perspective
The World Bank and IEA reports also state that social inequality will increase if transparency in power management is not brought in with the expansion of data centers. Detailed information can be found here
👉 https://www.iea.org
👉 https://www.worldbank.org
FAQ – General questions about the threat of electricity bill increases
Question: Why is there a growing fear of electricity bill increases?
Answer: Datacenter power consumption is increasing rapidly, which is putting pressure on the grid and production costs.
Question: Does a data center directly increase our electricity bill?
Answer: Not directly, but indirectly by increasing infrastructure and production costs.
Question: How realistic is the fear of increasing electricity bills in Bangladesh?
Answer: This is quite realistic considering the current power structure.
Question: What is the power consumption of the data center?
Answer: A large data center can use as much electricity as a small city.
Question: Can technological developments reduce the risk of increasing electricity bills?
Answer: It is possible to reduce the pressure somewhat by using efficient cooling and green energy.
Question: What can we as citizens do to reduce the risk of electricity bill increases?
Answer: Be aware, demand policy discussions, and develop energy-saving habits.
Conclusion
Datacenters are the foundation of our digital future, but it’s important to talk about their hidden costs now. Otherwise, one day we’ll suddenly realize—Fear of increase in electricity bills. No longer a fear, but a reality.
You can let us know how you liked today’s blog through comments. You can also suggest to us what kind of blog you would like to see in the future.