US Data Center Power Demand Grows 10 Times Faster Than Grid Capacity

Nov 11, 2026
Howden says US data center power demand has increased 19% annually since 2000, while grid capacity has expanded 2% per year.

US data center power demand has increased 19% annually since 2000, while electricity grid capacity has expanded 2% per year, insurance broker Howden said in research accompanying its report on insuring data centres. Data centers accounted for 5% of total US grid capacity in 2025, up from 0.1% in 2000.

Power constraints are adding 24 to 72 months to some data center construction schedules. Howden estimates that delays at the largest projects could result in $800 million to $2.4 billion in lost revenue.

At current growth rates, data centers would need to obtain as much as 58% of their power, equal to 110 gigawatts, from behind-the-meter sources by 2030 to maintain their current share of grid capacity. Operators are considering on site natural gas, renewable energy, battery storage and nuclear power as grid connection delays continue.

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