Best Practices for Large Load Interconnections: A North American Perspective on Data Centers

TL;DR

This paper reviews best practices for interconnecting large loads like data centers in North America, focusing on technical requirements, challenges, and guidance for utilities and developers amid rapid capacity growth.

Contribution

It synthesizes utility guidelines and European insights into comprehensive recommendations addressing power quality, telemetry, and disturbance management for large load interconnections.

Findings

Highlights gaps in ride-through and load-variation specifications.

Provides practical guidance for utilities and developers.

Analyzes cross-utility and European approaches.

Abstract

Large loads are expanding rapidly across North America, led by data centers, cryptocurrency mining, hydrogen production facilities, and heavy-duty charging stations. Each class presents distinct electrical characteristics, but data centers are drawing particular attention as AI deployment drives unprecedented capacity growth. Their scale, duty cycles, and converter-dominated interfaces introduce new challenges for transmission interconnections, especially regarding disturbance behavior, steady-state performance, and operational visibility. This paper reviews best practices for large-load interconnections across North America, synthesizing utility and system operator guidelines into a coherent set of technical requirements. The approach combines handbook and manual analysis with cross-utility comparisons and an outlook on European directions. The review highlights requirements on power quality, telemetry, commissioning tests, and protection coordination, while noting gaps in ride-through specifications, load-variation management, and post-disturbance recovery targets. Building on these findings, the paper proposes practical guidance for developers and utilities.