New reports confirm that data centers in the Pacific Northwest are driving a measurable increase in natural gas consumption by regional utilities, according to News From The States. Utilities including those serving Washington and Oregon have flagged the trend in recent filings, citing large-load customer additions as a primary factor. The shift complicates state-level decarbonization targets that had relied on the region's hydropower advantage to limit fossil fuel reliance. Regulators are expected to revisit integrated resource plans to account for the accelerated demand trajectory.