Grid-power demand from data centers is on a sharp upward path, according to projections from S&P Global. The firm forecasts data center grid-power demand rising 22 percent in 2025 and nearly tripling by 2030, a pace that is reordering long-term electricity planning across the United States.

The growth is concentrated and fast-moving. Utility forecasts of five-year summer peak demand climbed from 38 gigawatts in 2023 to 128 gigawatts in 2024, a jump driven heavily by data center commitments. BloombergNEF estimates that U.S. data center power demand could reach 106 gigawatts by 2035, while federal analysts caution that faster-than-expected growth could lift fossil generation as utilities work to add supply.

The figures point to a market in which power availability, rather than land or capital, has become the binding constraint on data center growth. Developers increasingly select sites based on access to firm power and transmission capacity, and many are signing long-term power purchase agreements or pursuing dedicated generation to secure supply. With reliability officials warning of tight conditions in 2026, the race to match new generation to data center load is shaping investment decisions for utilities and operators alike.

Source: S&P Global - https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/latest-news/electric-power/101425-data-center-grid-power-demand-to-rise-22-in-2025-nearly-triple-by-2030