Midwestern ratepayers have seen utility bills rise in recent years, as growing demand puts pressure on an aging electric grid. Also, as large data centers pop up around the country, a Missouri scientist is raising concerns about an often-overlooked form of pollution: noise.
Utilities across the Midwest have requested billions of dollars in rate hikes as households and large companies use more energy. But new demand, including from data centers, could also bring investment that helps modernize the electric grid and offset costs for customers. The Midwest Newsroom’s Holly Edgell reports on what’s driving higher bills and what could help keep them affordable.
Data centers have brought environmental concerns to communities across the country, but the low-frequency hum they produce can travel farther than typical city noise. St. Louis Public Radio’s Kate Grumke reports on why data center noise is different and the potential impact on people living nearby.
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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Adelyn Mui and KCUR Studios, and edited by Madeline Fox, Gabe Rosenberg and Emily Younker.
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