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The Download: energy transmission and US threats against Chinese AI

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Why This Matters

The development of North America's longest underground power line from Quebec to New York highlights advancements in renewable energy infrastructure and its potential to significantly reduce reliance on traditional power sources. Simultaneously, geopolitical tensions surrounding Chinese AI companies underscore the growing importance of AI regulation and international competition in shaping the future of technology. Together, these stories reflect the evolving landscape of energy and AI, impacting both industry innovation and consumer security.

Key Takeaways

Some of that power shuttled in on a 339-mile power line stretching from Quebec to Queens. It opened in May and is officially the longest underground transmission line in North America. It could provide up to 20% of New York City’s electricity demand, largely with abundant hydropower from Quebec.

One wrinkle: The line has been down for most of this month, and some experts are concerned about how drought will affect the power supply feeding it.

Still, the line could help shape the future of our grid, if it can overcome these sorts of snags. Read our story to understand how.

—Casey Crownhart

This story is from The Spark, our weekly climate tech newsletter. Sign up to receive it in your inbox every Wednesday.

The must-reads

I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.

1 The US Treasury is threatening to sanction Chinese AI companies

Treasury secretary Scott Bessent has accused Moonshot of improperly distilling Anthropic’s Fable model. (TechCrunch)

+ Nvidia’s Jensen Huang is arguing that America has nothing to fear from Chinese AI. (Axios)

... continue reading