BloombergNEF research finds AI data centres plan 181GW of on-site gas-fired power across the US, UK and mainland Europe. The proposals aim to bypass electricity grid connection delays, with 90% of the planned gas-fired power stations in the US.
AI data centre developers are proposing dedicated gas-fired power stations to secure electricity sooner, according to BloombergNEF research reported by The Guardian. The proposed capacity is almost 4 times Great Britain's total peak electricity demand.
Data centres need electricity to run servers, cool equipment and operate facility systems. BloombergNEF says faster connections to electricity grids would be the more sustainable option.
Developers describe the proposed gas supplies as temporary, but the research warns that operating economics could encourage their continued use after grid connections arrive. For companies choosing AI infrastructure, this makes the long-term power supply an important question alongside the opening date.
The capacity remains proposed rather than built, so the scale and timing of any additional AI infrastructure are still unproven.
Grid connection delays can shape where AI capacity becomes available, making power access a practical consideration when assessing providers.
Temporary gas generation could become a lasting dependency, giving customers reason to examine infrastructure providers' long-term energy plans.
Written automatically by the Made in 10 Newsroom from the source above.
Fractile has raised a $720 million Series C funding round to build chips for running AI models. Its specialised chips are planned for data centre deployment next year, so the promised performance gains remain a future test.
