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AI Power Demand Tracker

Company-by-company tracking of how much electricity AI and hyperscaler companies are consuming, and how much more they are planning.

Last updated: March 26, 2026 · Sources: DOE, EIA, EPRI, NERC, FERC, company filings, utility reports

~35 GW
Announced AI/DC Capacity
Up from ~17 GW operational in 2022
$602B
2026 Hyperscaler CapEx
~$1T spent on data centers in 2025
200+
Major Facilities Tracked
Across 35+ states
130 GW
Projected 2028 Demand
Could exceed 200 GW globally by 2030
Demand is rising faster than anyone planned.

Company Power Profiles

Major AI and cloud players ranked by announced data center power capacity. Data compiled from company filings, utility agreements, press releases, and investigative reports.

MS
Microsoft
Azure / OpenAI Infrastructure Partner
5+ GW
Planned Capacity
$100B+
2026 CapEx
Key deal: $1.6B agreement with Constellation to restart Three Mile Island Unit 1 (835 MW) by 2028, the first restart of a decommissioned nuclear plant for a corporate customer.
  • Three Mile Island restart (835 MW nuclear PPA, 20-year)
  • Stargate joint venture with OpenAI/Oracle (Texas)
  • Data centers across Virginia, Iowa, Arizona, Sweden
  • Multiple SMR development partnerships
Nuclear PPAs SMR Development Renewables Grid
Operational Expanding Nuclear Strategy
→ Full Microsoft Coverage
AWS
Amazon / AWS
Cloud Infrastructure Leader
5+ GW
SMR Pipeline
$100B+
2026 CapEx
Key deal: $20B+ investment converting Susquehanna into a nuclear-powered AI data center campus. Also committed to 5 GW of SMR deployments.
  • Susquehanna nuclear AI campus (Pennsylvania)
  • 5 GW SMR deployment program
  • Virginia data center corridor (largest cluster)
  • Oregon, Ohio, Indiana expansions
  • Nuclear PPA with Talen Energy
Nuclear PPAs 5 GW SMR Program Solar/Wind PPAs Grid
Operational Massive Expansion Nuclear Strategy
→ Full Amazon/AWS Coverage
M
Meta
AI Training / Llama Infrastructure
6.6 GW
Nuclear Portfolio
$72B
2025 CapEx
Key deal: Multi-gigawatt nuclear portfolio totaling up to 6.6 GW from Oklo, Vistra Corp., and TerraPower (announced Jan 2026). Also building the 5 GW Hyperion AI cluster and a Louisiana mega-campus with three on-site gas plants ($3B). 2026 CapEx guided at $115-135B.
  • 6.6 GW nuclear deal with Oklo, Vistra Corp., TerraPower
  • "Hyperion" 5 GW AI supercluster
  • Louisiana mega-campus (Manhattan-sized, 1,200 acres)
  • 3 on-site natural gas plants ($3B)
  • 30+ operational data centers worldwide
6.6 GW Nuclear On-Site Gas Renewables SMR Support
Operational Under Construction Nuclear Deals
→ Full Meta Coverage
G
Google / Alphabet
Cloud + AI (Gemini) Infrastructure
500 MW
SMR Deal (Kairos)
$100B+
2026 CapEx
Key deal: First-ever U.S. corporate SMR fleet deal with Kairos Power for 500 MW (online 2030+). Also acquired Intersect Power for dedicated energy supply. Pioneer of 24/7 carbon-free energy (CFE) matching.
  • Kairos Power SMR fleet (500 MW, 2030+)
  • Intersect Power acquisition (dedicated energy)
  • The Dalles, OR; Council Bluffs, IA; Pryor, OK
  • New campuses in Kansas City, Indiana, Malaysia
  • 24/7 carbon-free energy matching commitment
Kairos SMRs 24/7 CFE Goal Grid + PPAs
Operational Expanding SMR Pioneer
→ Full Google Coverage
OCI
Oracle / Stargate
AI Cloud + Stargate JV with OpenAI
10 GW
Stargate Pipeline
$500B
Stargate Total
Key deal: Stargate LLC with $100B initial funding, scaling to $500B by 2029. Total planned capacity is 10 GW. Oracle is raising $45-50B in 2026 to fund the buildout, including a 1 GW facility in Michigan.
  • Stargate Abilene, TX (initial $100B campus)
  • Michigan 1 GW facility
  • 6 Stargate sites announced (~7 GW pipeline)
  • Oracle raising $45-50B in 2026 for DC buildout
Grid Power Nuclear (Planned) Solar/Wind Natural Gas
Under Construction $500B Pipeline
→ Full Oracle Coverage
xAI
xAI
Grok AI / Colossus Supercomputer
250 MW
Colossus Peak
$4.5M/mo
Avg. Electric Bill
Key story: Built Colossus 1 in just 122 days (summer 2024). Now at 150K H100 + 50K H200 + 30K GB200 GPUs. Expanding to Colossus 2 with 110K more GB200s. Ruled to be generating electricity illegally via on-site turbines.
  • Colossus 1, Memphis (150 MW → 250 MW peak)
  • Colossus 2, Memphis area (110K GB200 GPUs planned)
  • On-site gas turbines (VoltaGrid, now TVA-connected)
  • 30 MW solar farm announced (10% of load)
  • 230K+ GPUs total (H100/H200/GB200)
TVA Grid On-Site Turbines 30 MW Solar
Operational Expanding Regulatory Issues
Apple
Apple Intelligence / Private Cloud Compute
~1 GW
Est. Capacity
100%
Renewable Goal
Approach: Apple runs on-device AI where possible but is building "Private Cloud Compute" infrastructure. Less aggressive than hyperscaler peers on massive new builds. Claims 100% renewable energy for global operations.
  • Maiden, NC (largest Apple DC)
  • Mesa, AZ; Reno, NV; Prineville, OR
  • Private Cloud Compute for Apple Intelligence
  • Renewable energy PPAs across portfolio
100% Renewable Grid + PPAs
Operational Measured Growth
T
Tesla
Dojo / Cortex Supercomputers + Megapack
~500 MW
Est. AI Capacity
2.3 GWh
Megapack Storage
Key project: Cortex 2 next-gen supercomputer for FSD and Optimus training. On-site Megapack battery storage (2.3 GWh), enough to support a large industrial load, plus 100K+ NVIDIA H100/H200 GPUs.
  • Cortex 2 supercomputer (Austin-area)
  • 2.3 GWh Megapack battery storage on-site
  • 100K+ NVIDIA GPUs for FSD/Optimus training
  • Dojo custom silicon development
Grid Power Solar + Megapack
Operational Cortex 2 Build
NV
NVIDIA
GPU Maker / Foxconn DC Partnership
Enabler
Role in DC Demand
~1 GW+
Partner DCs
Role: NVIDIA does not operate large data centers itself, but its GPUs drive demand across every hyperscaler. It is partnering with Foxconn on GB200 "AI factories." Each GB200 NVL72 rack draws about 120 kW, so a single large cluster can exceed 100 MW.
  • Foxconn AI factory partnership (Mexico, US)
  • DGX Cloud hosted across partners
  • GB200 NVL72 racks: ~120 kW each
  • Powering virtually every major AI DC
Chip Supplier
Shipping GPUs AI Factory Model

U.S. Data Center Power Demand Growth

Historical and projected electricity consumption by U.S. data centers. Sources: DOE/LBNL (2024 report), EPRI, IEA, JLL.

U.S. Data Center Electricity Consumption (TWh)
Actual through 2024 · Projected range through 2030
Data Centers as % of Total U.S. Electricity Consumption
Growing from ~2% (2018) to potentially 9%+ by 2030

Regional Impact: Where Demand Is Hitting Hardest

Data center demand is not evenly distributed. A handful of regions are absorbing the majority of new load, straining local grids and sparking policy battles.

Region Key Grid / ISO DC Demand Pressure Major Players Key Issues
Northern Virginia
"Data Center Alley"
PJM (Dominion) 70,000 MW in queue
70%+ global internet traffic
AWS, Microsoft, Google, Meta, Equinix Capacity auction prices up 830%. 60+ legislative bills. Moratorium debates. Dominion rate hikes.
Texas (ERCOT) ERCOT 233 GW queue
Multi-GW Stargate campus
Oracle/Stargate, xAI, Tesla, Meta, AWS Large interconnection queue. Reliability tradeoffs, Bitcoin-to-AI pivots, and water stress.
Iowa / Midwest MISO Growing rapidly
Cheap wind power magnet
Google, Microsoft, Meta Low electricity prices attract DCs. Wind-powered claims. Rural grid upgrades needed.
Georgia SERC (Georgia Power) Surging demand
Industrial revival
Google, Microsoft, QTS, Meta Georgia Power seeking massive rate increases. Plant Vogtle nuclear units online. Water concerns.
Tennessee / TVA TVA xAI anchor load
Industrial growth
xAI, Google, Meta TVA supplying xAI's 150+ MW. Clean energy commitments vs. gas generation. Federal oversight.
Ohio / PJM East PJM Intel + DC growth AWS, Google, Intel (fabs), QTS Intel fab + DC demand. AEP grid upgrades. Nuclear proximity (Davis-Besse, Perry).
Oregon / Pacific NW BPA / PacifiCorp Established cluster Google, Apple, Facebook/Meta, Amazon Cheap hydro attracts DCs. Water-cooled DC controversies. BPA allocation tensions.
Michigan MISO Stargate anchor Oracle/Stargate, Switch 1 GW Stargate facility. Economic development vs. grid strain. New transmission needed.

Grid Stress Indicators

Data center demand is outpacing grid infrastructure buildout, contributing to interconnection backlogs, price spikes, and public opposition.

233 GW

ERCOT Interconnection Queue

Texas grid operator's queue has grown sharply with data center and industrial load requests. Actual peak ERCOT demand is about 85 GW, meaning the queue is nearly 3x current capacity.

830%

PJM Capacity Price Spike

PJM's 2025/26 capacity auction cleared at $269.92/MW-day, up from ~$29/MW-day. Data center load growth in Virginia and surrounding states is a primary driver.

60+

Virginia DC Bills Introduced

Virginia lawmakers have introduced 60+ bills targeting data center growth: moratoriums, noise limits, tax incentive reforms, grid cost allocation, and environmental reviews.

5-7 yrs

Avg. Interconnection Wait

Average time from interconnection request to commercial operation for new generation has ballooned to 5-7 years across most ISOs, up from 2-3 years a decade ago.

$50B+

Utility Grid Upgrade Costs

Dominion, AEP, Duke, and Georgia Power are collectively seeking tens of billions in rate increases to fund transmission and distribution upgrades for DC load.

4.4%

Share of U.S. Electricity (2024)

Data centers consumed 183 TWh in 2024, or 4.4% of all U.S. electricity. EPRI projects this could reach 4.6-9.1% by 2030, with some estimates exceeding 12%.

How AI Companies Plan to Power Their Facilities

Demand for reliable, always-on power is driving large corporate energy deals across nuclear, renewables, gas, and grid power.

Nuclear Power

The dominant story of 2025-26. Tech companies are signing direct PPAs with nuclear operators, funding plant restarts, and investing in SMR development.

  • Microsoft: TMI Unit 1 restart (835 MW, $1.6B)
  • Amazon: Susquehanna campus + 5 GW SMR program
  • Meta: 6.6 GW nuclear portfolio by 2035 — Vistra (Perry, Davis-Besse, Beaver Valley), Constellation (Clinton 1.1 GW), TerraPower Natrium (690 MW), Oklo Aurora at Portsmouth (1.2 GW)
  • Google: Kairos Power SMR fleet (500 MW)
  • Total announced nuclear-for-DC: ~15+ GW

Renewables (Solar + Wind)

Every hyperscaler has renewable PPAs, but intermittency means they can't rely on renewables alone for 24/7 AI workloads. Google pioneered "24/7 CFE" matching.

  • Massive corporate PPA portfolios (10+ GW each)
  • Google's 24/7 carbon-free energy commitment
  • xAI's 30 MW solar farm (only 10% of load)
  • Apple claims 100% renewable operations
  • Tesla's Megapack storage co-located with DCs

Natural Gas

The "dirty secret" of the AI boom. Many companies are building or contracting on-site gas generation to guarantee 24/7 power while nuclear and renewables scale up.

  • Meta: 3 gas plants at Louisiana campus ($3B)
  • xAI: On-site gas turbines (ruled illegal by TN regulator)
  • Behind-the-meter generation growing rapidly
  • xAI turbines produce ~2,000 tons of pollutants/year
  • Utility gas plant proposals tied to DC load

Grid Power

Most data centers still draw primarily from the grid, which shifts infrastructure costs to all ratepayers and strains existing transmission.

  • Grid power remains primary source for most DCs
  • Utilities raising rates to fund DC infrastructure
  • Dominion's 70,000 MW large-load queue — nearly tripled since Jan 2025
  • "Who pays?" debate intensifying nationwide
  • Behind-the-meter generation as grid bypass strategy
Announced Power Sourcing Strategy by Capacity
Based on announced deals and commitments as of March 2026
  • Nuclear PPAs & Restarts (~15+ GW announced)
  • Renewable PPAs (solar, wind, about 12 GW active)
  • Natural Gas (on-site + utility new-build)
  • Grid Power (existing utility supply)
  • SMR Pipeline (contracted, not yet online)

Key Milestones in AI Power Demand

Major events shaping the relationship between large technology companies and the power sector.

February 2026
Oracle raises $45-50B for AI data center buildout
Oracle announces massive fundraise to fuel AI infrastructure expansion, with Stargate pipeline approaching 10 GW total capacity.
January 2026
xAI ruled generating electricity illegally in Memphis
Tennessee regulator rules xAI's on-site gas turbines were generating power illegally. Colossus 1 consuming 150 MW, with expansion to 250 MW underway.
January 2026
Meta signs 6.6 GW nuclear portfolio deal
Multi-gigawatt nuclear agreement with Vistra Corp. and a commitment to SMR development, enough to serve about 5 million homes.
January 2026
Hyperscaler CapEx projected to hit $602B in 2026
Amazon, Microsoft, Google, and Meta each exceeding $100B in capital expenditure, with 45-57% of revenue going to infrastructure.
January 2025
Stargate Project announced: $500B AI infrastructure
OpenAI, Oracle, and SoftBank announce Stargate LLC with initial $100B investment in Abilene, Texas, scaling to $500B by 2029.
October 2024
Google signs first corporate SMR deal with Kairos Power
First U.S. corporate commitment to a small modular reactor fleet, with 500 MW targeted for 2030+.
September 2024
Microsoft-Constellation Three Mile Island restart deal
$1.6B agreement to restart TMI Unit 1 (835 MW), the first restart of a decommissioned nuclear plant for a corporate customer. Target: 2028.
Summer 2024
xAI builds Colossus in 122 days
Elon Musk's xAI constructs the world's largest AI training cluster in Memphis in record time, initially running on temporary gas turbine generators.
July 2024
PJM capacity auction clears at $269.92/MW-day
An 830% increase over previous auction, driven by data center load growth and generation retirements in the mid-Atlantic region.
March 2024
Amazon-Talen Susquehanna nuclear deal
Amazon invests $20B+ to convert Susquehanna nuclear plant area into an AI data center campus with direct nuclear power supply.
2023
DOE reports U.S. DC electricity at 176 TWh
Department of Energy report confirms data center consumption tripled from 58 TWh in 2014 to 176 TWh in 2023, equal to 4.4% of the national total.
2022
ChatGPT launches: AI power demand inflection point
OpenAI's ChatGPT triggers an AI arms race among tech companies, catalyzing unprecedented data center investment and power demand growth.

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