U.S. data center electricity demand is projected to exceed 250 terawatt-hours in 2026, according to International Energy Agency analysis, as artificial intelligence and cloud computing push power consumption sharply higher. The figure underscores how quickly digital infrastructure has become a major driver of national electricity use.

The United States leads the world in data center power consumption. In 2024 it accounted for about 45 percent of global data center electricity use, ahead of China at 25 percent and Europe at 15 percent, reflecting the concentration of large hyperscale facilities on U.S. soil.

The growth is reshaping electricity planning. The IEA estimates that data centers will account for roughly half of U.S. electricity demand growth through 2030, a share that is forcing utilities and grid operators to add generation and transmission capacity at an accelerated pace.

That demand trajectory is the backdrop for utility decisions across the country, from new natural gas and battery capacity to nuclear supply agreements, as operators race to keep pace with the electricity needs of AI computing.

Source: International Energy Agency - https://www.iea.org/reports/energy-and-ai/energy-demand-from-ai