AI Boom to Add Hidden Extra Cost to Northeast US Power Bills

Data centers are driving a surge in carbon prices in the US Northeast, helping push CO2 costs in the region past California and raising the prospect of higher energy costs for consumers.

The price to emit a so-called short ton of CO2 into the atmosphere under the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative — a market covering 10 states, including New York — jumped 31% last week to $47.56. Traders are betting that Virginia’s planned return to the market in July will boost demand for permits because the state is a major hub for data centers.