U.S. data centers consumed 183 terawatt-hours of electricity in 2024, more than 4 percent of the nation's total power, according to @IEA estimates. That demand is projected to grow by 133 percent by 2030, expanding four times faster than all other sectors combined. To keep pace, @Amazon, @Microsoft, @Google, and @Meta are expected to pour approximately $650 billion into capital expenditures in 2026 alone, a roughly 60 percent increase over 2025 levels, with the majority directed at data center infrastructure to support #AI workloads. ⚡️ The grid was not designed to absorb this level of demand this quickly. In July 2024, a voltage fluctuation in northern Virginia caused 60 data centers to simultaneously switch to on-site generators, creating a power imbalance that required rapid automated intervention to contain. Grid modernization, including advanced distribution management systems, real-time load monitoring, and AI-integrated demand response, is now a national priority. 🖥️ Every device added to the modernized grid represents a new identity that must be authenticated. Every new data flow represents a channel that must be secured. Traditional perimeter-based security models were never designed for infrastructure at this level of distribution and scale.