Think the recent surge in electric demand is a thing of the past? Despite relatively flat demand since the early 2000s, advanced economies are experiencing a resurgence in electric demand. In the United States, domestic electric demand is projected to increase approximately 2 percent annually over the next three years—adding the total electric demand of California to the nation’s grid during this period. New Rules May Signal New Upfront ChargesThe evolving energy landscape is prompting electric service providers to rethink how upgrade costs for new customers are covered. Electric utilities and their regulators seem most occupied by managing load growth spurred by data centers.