States across the country see an economic prize in massive new data centers being planned to accommodate the growth of artificial intelligence.
North Dakota is among them. But officials there also believe the benefits go beyond jobs and tax revenue that come with the multibillion-dollar investments. They see it as a potential boon for oil and natural gas production, already the largest source of tax revenue in the state.
Josh Teigen, commissioner of the North Dakota Department of Commerce under Republican Gov. Doug Burgum, said state officials are in discussion with developers about using the Bakken shale formation’s vast natural gas reserves to fuel power plants to serve new data centers. Those dedicated plants could potentially sell excess power into the grid, he said.
“We all know that getting more oil out of the ground is the best thing that we can do for the general fund balance in the state of North Dakota,” Teigen said Thursday at a conference organized by the state’s Public Service Commission. “At this point in time, the best way to get more oil out of the ground is to process and consume more natural gas in the state.”
