New reports find that data center growth in the Pacific Northwest is pushing regional utilities to expand natural gas procurement and generation capacity to meet surging electricity loads. The findings mark a shift for a region historically reliant on hydropower, as data center operators drawn by cheap electricity and cooler temperatures add pressure on grid resources. Specific utilities named in the reports serve Washington and Oregon markets where large-scale data center campuses have multiplied in recent years. Regulators and environmental groups in both states are expected to scrutinize any new gas capacity additions tied to data center load growth.