美国“电荒”，中国“电卷”

Core Viewpoint - The article contrasts the electricity pricing dynamics in the United States and China, highlighting the stark differences in how each country manages electricity supply and demand, leading to divergent pricing trends [3][5][19]. Group 1: United States Electricity Market - In Loudoun County, Virginia, residents express concerns over rising electricity costs due to the influx of data centers, which are consuming significant power resources [2][8]. - The pricing mechanism in the U.S. is characterized by a transparent and immediate reflection of supply shortages, where electricity prices surge when reserve margins fall below safety thresholds [8][10]. - The average electricity price in the U.S. has been on the rise over the past two years, driven by necessary infrastructure upgrades to support increasing demand from AI and other sectors [9][10][11]. - The burden of higher electricity costs falls on end-users, who face immediate financial impacts, leading to public protests and calls for regulatory hearings [19][22]. Group 2: China Electricity Market - In contrast, China's electricity prices are experiencing a downward trend, with a reported 10% year-on-year decrease in purchasing prices since the beginning of 2025 [3][14]. - The Chinese electricity market is undergoing a "passive clearing" process, where supply-side expansions, particularly in coal and renewable energy, are outpacing demand growth, resulting in lower prices [14][16]. - The role of data centers in China is seen as beneficial, as they help absorb excess electricity generated from renewable sources, particularly in regions with surplus capacity [17][20]. - The financial burden of low electricity prices is shifted to the supply side, where power generation companies and equipment manufacturers face squeezed profit margins, leading to a "utility-like" operational model [20][21].