Data Center Power Demand Explodes to 106 Gigawatts by 2035, Threatening Grid Stability Across US
Summary
Data center power demand explodes to 106 gigawatts by 2035—a 36% jump in just seven months—threatening US grid stability as massive facilities migrate from northern Virginia to southern and western regions, with Texas facing dangerously low power reserves after 2028.
Key Points
- Data center power demand surges to 106 gigawatts by 2035, representing a 36% increase from forecasts made just seven months ago, with nearly a quarter of 150 new projects exceeding 500 megawatts
- Grid reliability faces critical pressure as data center capacity in PJM could reach 31GW by 2030, nearly matching the 28.7GW of new generation expected, while Texas reserve margins risk falling into dangerous territory after 2028
- Data center geography shifts away from saturated northern Virginia toward southern and western regions, with developers building hyperscale campuses in suburban zones within 30 miles of major cities using fiber optic infrastructure