Data centers’ share of U.S. electricity seen doubling by 2030

Data centers could double their current share of U.S. power by 2030, consuming 9 to 17 percent of electricity generation by decade’s end as companies plan more and larger projects, according to a new analysis.

The findings released Thursday by the research organization Electric Power Research Institute reflect how rapidly the outlook for artificial intelligence is changing because of company announcements in the past year and a half. The new estimates on electricity demand are roughly 60 percent higher than EPRI anticipated two years ago.

We’re seeing an “unprecedented amount of investment in data center construction and project planning,” said Thomas Wilson, principal technical executive at EPRI, in an interview.

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