Quiz: AI Data Center Site Selection & Power Procurement (Part 3)

10 questions from Part 3 of the guide. Score instantly; every explanation links to the chapter that derives the answer.

The first siting question the guide asks is whether your workload is…
GPU-rich or GPU-poortraining-shaped (power-first, latency-indifferent) or inference-shaped (latency- and region-bound)air-cooled or liquid-cooledowned or rented
Large-load grid interconnection in the top US hubs currently takes…
6–12 months1–2 years3–7+ years (to ~10 in the worst queues)no queue applies to loads
What are the four energy-supply structures in the guide's portfolio framing?
solar, wind, gas, nucleargrid-only, grid + bridge generation, behind-the-meter island, co-located hybridPPA, VPPA, tolling, merchantutility, muni, co-op, IPP
Why does speed-to-power dominate the 2026 energy decision?
power prices are fallingeach energized GW is worth roughly $10–12B of AI revenue per yearregulators require itGPUs expire if not deployed
The guide's warning about buying speed-to-power with on-site generation is that…
turbines are cheap but slowspeed and low long-run energy cost pull in opposite directions — BTM gas LCOE runs above projected grid pricesislanded plants need no permitsit eliminates grid dependence forever
Which two approvals almost always sit on the true permitting critical path?
building permit and zoninggrid interconnection and the air permitstormwater and noiseFAA and fire marshal
For a training-shaped site, fiber is…
the primary screen, above powera secondary screen — diversity and a long-haul path matter, raw latency doesn'tirrelevant entirelyonly needed post-launch
The water screen asks primarily whether the site can…
reach a riverdeliver a firm, permitted supply matched to the cooling architecture you intenddrill unlimited wellsavoid water entirely in all designs
On incentives, the guide's discipline is to…
underwrite every announced incentive as cashunderwrite only the durable, statutory portion — treat discretionary packages as soft tailwindignore incentives entirelysite only where incentives are largest
PJM interconnection deposits illustrate what procurement reality?
queues are free to enterreal money commits before design freeze — a $500k study deposit plus $15/kW-scale commitmentsdeposits are refundable at any timeonly utilities pay deposits

Check your understanding: Site Selection, Power & Permitting