Trump Administration Targets Faster Power Approvals

The Trump administration is reportedly urging regulators to accelerate approvals for data centers to connect to the U.S. power grid, according to a Bloomberg report released Thursday evening.

A draft rule from Energy Secretary Christopher Wright proposes that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) limit review timelines to no more than 60 days. Currently, such reviews can stretch for months or even years, delaying the expansion of critical AI infrastructure.

Proposed Rule Could Reshape the AI Power Landscape

The proposal suggests that:

Data centers could qualify for expedited review if they include new on-site power generation or agree to curtail usage during high-demand periods (e.g., heatwaves).
Shorter timelines would dramatically speed up deployments in an industry facing power-supply bottlenecks amid soaring AI compute demand.

If adopted, this change could unlock capacity faster across the U.S. and accelerate the AI-infrastructure build-out already underway.

Market Reaction: AI Power Stocks Jump

The news triggered strong premarket gains among data center and energy names linked to the AI ecosystem:

Iris Energy ($IREN) — up 7.7%
Cipher Mining ($CIFR) — up 7.1%
Oklo ($OKLO) — up 3.8%
Bloom Energy ($BE) — up 7.5%

Investors see the policy shift as a potential tailwind for both AI-infrastructure providers and emerging power-generation firms that can deliver scalable energy to high-density compute facilities.

Caution Amid Volatility

Analysts note that these are high-beta, speculative names, and it’s unclear whether this report alone is driving the early surge. Still, the timing aligns closely with a renewed policy focus on AI infrastructure and energy security, suggesting growing government interest in easing power-access constraints.