Hundreds of millions of people are using tools like ChatGPT, Co-Pilot, and Perplexity every day, yet the infrastructure to support Artificial Intelligence (AI) is not yet ready for this demand. AI is quickly becoming a technological necessity that is part of daily life. While there are community debates around the country regarding data center development and the adverse effects that may result, the need for additional data centers to adequately serve and support the growth and advancements in technology is not going away. The challenge is not whether to build, but where and how.
Data centers need reliable, high‑capacity transmission, fiber optic lines, and land that can accommodate large facilities and associated substations, often near existing or planned corridors. Communities, regulators, and utilities all bring valid perspectives: protect reliability, control costs to the consumer, preserve environmental resources, and ensure local benefits. What is missing in many community debates over data center construction is a practical, quantitative view of the landscape: Which locations minimize new right‑of‑way, protect environmentally sensitive areas, and leverage existing transmission capacity while still meeting the technical needs of data center operators?
Pivvot’s geospatial data and mapping solutions were designed to provide exactly that kind of shared, data‑rich view. Pivvot’s platform pulls parcel, environmental, geotechnical, jurisdictional, and infrastructure data such as transmission lines, substations, existing data centers, and interconnect queues, into a single, interactive map. Using this map, transmission planners, utilities managers, and project developers can set clear criteria (for example, proximity to high‑voltage lines and substations, avoidance of wetlands or critical habitat, environmental justice overlays, and setback requirements) and instantly narrow the field of prospective sites to locations that meet both grid and community constraints, locating potential sites for data centers that adhere to all stakeholders’ needs.
Rather than reacting piecemeal to individual proposals, transmission teams and developers can use Pivvot to proactively plan around emerging AI/data center load pockets. The platform enables users to:
Because Pivvot can reduce time and effort for siting, route evaluation, and buildable‑area analysis from days or weeks to minutes, project teams can move at the speed of AI demand without sacrificing diligence. That speed matters: as the New York Times noted, utilities are already “hastily constructing additional power plants and power lines” to serve AI loads, and every month of delay can translate into higher costs and continued uncertainty for customers.
By using a defensible, location‑intelligence‑driven process, transmission owners can better demonstrate that they have minimized environmental impacts, maximized use of existing corridors, and thoughtfully weighed community concerns, serving as crucial evidence in regulatory proceedings and public conversations.
Transmission planners and utilities have an opportunity to lead with transparency and rigor, using geospatial intelligence to show how they are optimizing locations and routes to balance innovation, affordability, and environmental stewardship. Pivvot is accelerating that work, making it faster, more collaborative, and more concrete so AI-driven demand maintains grid reliability and builds long-term community confidence.
Are you ready to learn more about how Pivvot’s geospatial intelligence can work for your next project? Download our Ultimate Guide to Environmental Reviews for an actionable checklist to get you started.