← All glossary terms

Utility Rates, Grid, and Markets

Utility tariff

A tariff is the filed set of rates, terms, conditions, riders, and service agreements governing utility service. Large-load data center economics can change materially depending on tariff class, demand ratchets, power factor provisions, interruptibility, and special-contract terms.

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Special use permit

Special use permit is local approval for a use that is allowed only after discretionary review and conditions. Data centers may trigger special use review due to scale, utility infrastructure, noise, traffic, generators, water use, or community concerns.

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UPS

Uninterruptible Power Supply provides short-duration power conditioning and ride-through between utility events and generator availability. UPS topology, battery chemistry, runtime, efficiency, redundancy, and maintenance are central to data center reliability.

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Tier III

Tier III is concurrently maintainable infrastructure: each capacity component and distribution path can be removed for planned work without affecting operations. It is a common target for enterprise and colocation facilities, but certification depends on detailed design and operations.

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