A.I. Boom Spurs Electrician Migration To Central Washington

Central Washington’s rolling sagebrush plains are undergoing a high-tech transformation, driven by the surging demand for AI, according to a report by The New York Times.

The region, powered by hydropower dams along the Columbia River, has become a magnet for electricians chasing lucrative work in the booming data center industry.

With substations sprouting on farmland and orchards, hundreds of traveling electricians are working 60-hour weeks, earning up to $2,800 weekly after taxes. The workforce is diverse, including former morticians, single mothers, and even a local legend dubbed “Big Job Bob,” as reported by The Times.

They are reshaping the landscape while capitalizing on overtime and bonuses tied to the massive infrastructure needed to power A.I.

The Times reports that Microsoft alone anticipates requiring 2,300 electricians in coming years, pushing the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) to expand its apprenticeship programs. Moreover, the union’s East Wenatchee branch, established in 2022, trains workers to meet the skyrocketing demand.

However, balancing long-term commitments with fluctuating workloads presents challenges, as union leader Rob Bartel notes to The Times, “We’re making a commitment — and I don’t have a crystal ball — to somebody for 8,000 hours, four or five years of their life.”

Quincy, a once-sleepy agricultural town, exemplifies the changes. Property taxes, bolstered by data centers, funded a $108 million high school featuring glass walls and light-wood interiors, as reported by The Times.

However, The Times notes that economic disparities persist, with 80% of students still eligible for free lunch. The influx of wealth has benefited some, including a farmer who reportedly sold his land for a data center and bought three Porsches, but left others behind as living costs rise.

The stakes are high, as tech giants like Microsoft, Amazon, and Google pour billions into data centers nationwide. Central Washington hosts over 50 such centers, with clusters in Quincy, East Wenatchee, and Malaga, says The Times.

Yet, growth is constrained by limited electricity. “The grid’s maxed out […] They can’t build with no power,” electrician Jesse Zafra warned to The Times, fueling speculation about solutions like new transmission lines or Helion, a nuclear fusion startup partnering with Microsoft.

The Times notes that while construction generates thousands of jobs, operational centers employ only a few dozen, raising concerns about the region’s long-term economic stability. For now, electricians flock to central Washington and other hot spots nationwide, riding a wave of opportunities powered by the A.I. boom.

Still, the future hinges on securing more electricity and maintaining the delicate balance between opportunity and rising inequality. As Bob Allen, a union representative, said to The Times, “That would give us another 10 years of work.” Beyond that, the region’s fate remains uncertain.