Google Expands Voltus Virtual Power Plant Deal to 1GW Across PJM Grid

Google announced on October 24 that it is expanding its partnership with Voltus to build a 1-gigawatt virtual power plant across the PJM grid region in the U.S., ten times the size of its earlier 100-megawatt agreement. The capacity will support grid reliability in areas hosting the company's data centers. The project is funded by Google and aggregated by Voltus; it does not involve building a conventional power plant. When grid supply is tight, Voltus will notify participating businesses and households to temporarily cut demand using batteries, smart thermostats and industrial process adjustments, easing peak load pressure. Participants receive bill credits or direct payments. PJM covers 13 states and Washington, D.C., serving roughly 67 million people. Google said the capacity procurement aims to add dispatch flexibility to grids serving its data centers while delivering economic returns to local users.