Energy Shots | Fracking Flashback and Data Center Demand

Energy Shots tells energy stories through data, personalities, and politics.

This Friday, Joseph Majkut and Kevin Book discuss the status of AI data center development, emerging moratoria, and parallels to the fracking boom. As rapid data center expansion draws local pushback, what can the fracking experience and data tell us about where energy policymaking is headed?

Graph of the Week

Public sentiment toward data centers has shifted dramatically over the past 18 months. According to an analysis of social media data by Redpoint Advisors and CSIS, anticipation dominated the discourse in November 2024. By May 2026, that picture had nearly reversed. This pattern mirrors the arc of public opinion during the fracking boom, when initial optimism over economic opportunity eventually gave way to community resistance over local impacts.

This event is made possible by general funding to CSIS and the CSIS Energy Security and Climate Change Program.