US data center power demand is projected to roughly double by 2027 as AI computing drives a historic wave of new electrical load, according to research from Goldman Sachs. Data center electricity draw is forecast to climb from about 31 gigawatts in 2025 to 41 gigawatts in 2026, with the sector's share of peak summer power demand rising from 4.1% to 5.3%.

Capacity additions are scaling sharply to keep up. Year-over-year data center capacity additions are scheduled to reach 13.6 gigawatts in 2026 and 36.3 gigawatts in 2027, compared with 6.4 gigawatts actually added in 2024 and 8.5 gigawatts in 2025. The jump reflects a pipeline of projects racing to secure power and land.

The load is heavily concentrated in a handful of states. Virginia's data center demand for grid power was forecast near 12.1 gigawatts in 2025, and Texas data center demand approached 9.7 gigawatts, making both states focal points for utility planning. Over the longer horizon, data centers alone could add roughly 125 gigawatts of US electric load between 2026 and 2030.

Goldman Sachs analysts noted that the tightening will affect electricity prices and grid stability nationwide. The pace of demand growth outstrips the time utilities normally need to permit and build new plants, creating a mismatch that could push up costs and test reliability. For US power markets, the data frames data centers as the defining new source of electricity demand this decade.

Source: Goldman Sachs - https://www.goldmansachs.com/insights/articles/us-data-center-power-demand-projected-to-double-by-2027