AI data centers don’t just use a lot of power—they use it at the worst possible time. In the 6–9 p.m. “scarcity window,” new compute load can spike wholesale prices and push costs onto families through three channels:
• Capacity charges (“insurance” for the grid) — in PJM, prices jumped from $28.92 to $329.17 per MW-day; a 100-MW campus that doesn’t self-cover can face ~$12M/yr.
• Fuel/purchased-power riders — pass-throughs that can lift bills ~1.5%–5% (about $5.55–$9.25 on a $185 summer bill).
• Network upgrade riders — new substations/lines recovered from customers over decades (single 230-kV projects often $13–$27M).

The squeeze lands hardest where energy burdens are already high—many low-income households spend 15%–26% of income on energy. And it’s not just electricity: cooling water demand is huge (e.g., one campus used 355M gallons in a year), with the capex to serve it often rate-based too.

We lay out a practical fix: a finance-grade Self-Powered AI Standard with four signals that keep neighbors whole:

1. Attributable Additional Clean Supply (prove you added new clean MWh).

2. Hourly Clean Coverage + Clean Matching Shortfall (match consumption hour-by-hour, locally, and report gaps).

3. Firm Self-Supply Availability (ride through peak alerts using your own dispatchable resources).

4. Scarcity-Adjusted Import Exposure (near-zero imports in the dirtiest/top-price hours).

Who should listen: regulators, local officials, utilities, data-center operators, and anyone who pays an electric bill.

Takeaways: understand how costs flow to bills, why timing beats totals, and how to scale AI without shifting risks to households or stressed water basins.

Links & extras: full write-up on ThePricer.org and the preprint with methods, metrics, and example ledgers.

— ThePricer Podcast • Breaking Down the Cost of Everything

Full transcript, sources & methodology:

https://www.thepricer.org/how-much-does-it-cost-to-switch-from-h-1b-dreams-to-canadas-tech-pathways/

For many tech workers in the U.S. on an H-1B visa, Canada’s Global Talent Stream and other pathways look like a tempting alternative. But how much does it actually cost to pack up and switch?

In this episode we break down:

• Government fees for work permits and permanent residency

• Immigration lawyer retainers and paperwork help

• First-month living costs in Toronto or Vancouver

• Moving, relocation, and opportunity costs

From application fees to housing sticker shock, here’s what it really takes to trade your H-1B dreams for Canada’s tech corridors.

Full transcript, sources & methodology:

https://www.thepricer.org/how-much-does-calling-all-u-s-generals-to-an-in-person-summit-cost/

This week, the Pentagon ordered an extraordinary in-person gathering of nearly 1,000 U.S. generals and admirals — a move that experts are calling highly unusual. But how much does it actually cost to bring America’s top military brass into one room?

We break down the numbers:

• Per diem and lodging costs in the Washington, D.C. area

• Commercial airfare vs. military airlift (C-17 flight hours aren’t cheap)

• Security and logistical overhead for classified discussions

• Scenario models that range from a few million to well over $6 million

From burn rates to opportunity costs, this episode reveals how fast the bill adds up when decisions at the highest level demand everyone’s presence.