Power Companies, Developers Hold Second Conference on Internet Data Centers; Conference Continues Discussion of How Best to Balance Business Opportunities With Huge Power Demands.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1 /PRNewswire/ --

Electric utilities, developers, designers, and equity firms have concluded their second in a series of conferences hosted by Edison Electric Institute and The Electrification Council to address the growth and electric infrastructure challenges of "Internet Hotels."

Consisting of little more than an empty building filled with racks and racks of computers and the air conditioners needed to keep them cool, Internet hotels, server farms, and co-location facilities store the computer servers and networking equipment that manage the Internet's traffic. The centers operate 24/7, demand absolutely reliable power, and lots of it. Compared with the 5-10 watts per square foot that a typical office building requires, data centers may need as much power as a small city -- between 50 to 200 watts a square foot, with a potential for much more.

"Despite the recent market correction and slowdown in construction," said EEI's Director of National Accounts Steve Kiesner, "data centers are not going away. Without question, they will play a crucial role in ensuring that our nation's ever-evolving economy will continue to grow and prosper well into the new millennium. Planning and supplying the energy infrastructure needs for these facilities present challenges and opportunities for energy companies and developers alike."

Following the initial meeting last February, EEI formed the Internet Infrastructure Consortium. The Consortium gives interested parties an ongoing forum to exchange ideas and discuss the best way to meet the ...