EU wants households to cut back electricity as industry, AI demand soars - E&E News by POLITICO

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EU wants households to cut back electricity as industry, AI demand soars

By James Fernyhough | 06/04/2026 06:08 AM EDT

A new law will aim to use artificial intelligence to boost efficient use of power as electricity demand threatens to overwhelm Europe’s grids.

BRUSSELS — The European Commission wants households to use less energy at peak times to reduce bills and take pressure off the grid, in preparation for an explosion of power demand from artificial intelligence data centers and electrification of the economy.

The EU executive said Wednesday it will propose a new law later this year to accelerate the rollout of AI-powered smart meters, which give consumers “greater control over when they use electricity, allowing them to shift consumption to cheaper hours and lower their bills.”

The hope is this will prompt households to cut their electricity use at evening hours when demand is highest, keeping prices lower and leaving more power available for industry, transport and energy-hungry computers that perform advanced AI functions.

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The plan, part of the Strategic Roadmap for Digitalisation and AI in the Energy Sector, was released Wednesday as part of the EU tech sovereignty package.<br>GET FULL ACCESS

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