Archive · 22 Jul 2026
US Data Centers May Use 20% of Nation's Electricity by 2035
The United States is expected to see a huge increase in electricity use by data centers due to the growth of artificial intelligence (AI).
By 2035, data centers could use about 20% of the country's total electricity.
This is because companies are building more data centers to support AI, which needs a lot of power.
The PJM Interconnection, which manages the electricity grid in parts of the eastern and midwestern US, and Texas are expected to be especially affected.
The rapid growth in data centers is also causing electricity prices to rise.
While the US will likely remain the leader in AI computing, the global demand for electricity from data centers is also expected to grow significantly, posing a big energy challenge.
US data centers could consume 20% of the nation's electricity by 2035 due to AI growth.
Nearly half of data center capacity will be dedicated to AI training and inference.
The US is projected to host 64% of global AI chips by power demand by 2033.
PJM Interconnection and Texas are expected to face significant strain from increased data center electricity demand.
Wholesale electricity costs in the PJM market have risen by 76% over the past year.
- Who
- BloombergNEF, Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), S&P, PJM Interconnection, ERCOT
- What
- Projected significant increase in electricity consumption by data centers due to AI growth
- When
- By 2035
- Where
- United States, with significant impact on PJM Interconnection and Texas
- Why
- Rapid expansion of AI infrastructure and data center capacity
Pro-AI Growth
Energy Conservation Advocates
Economic and Technological Benefits
Pro-AI Growth
Pro-AI Growth advocates highlight the economic benefits and technological advancements driven by AI, emphasizing the need for increased data center capacity to support innovation.
Energy Conservation Advocates
Energy Conservation Advocates argue that the rapid expansion of data centers poses significant environmental and energy challenges, advocating for more sustainable practices and energy-efficient technologies.
Energy Demand and Infrastructure
Pro-AI Growth
Pro-AI Growth supporters believe that the energy demand from data centers can be managed through infrastructure upgrades and investments in renewable energy sources.
Energy Conservation Advocates
Energy Conservation Advocates contend that the current infrastructure is insufficient to handle the projected energy demand, leading to potential grid instability and higher electricity costs.
- Projected Data Center Capacity
- 200 gigawatts by 2035
- AI's Share of Data Center Capacity
- Nearly 50%
- US Share of Global AI Chips by Power Demand
- 64% by 2033
- PJM Interconnection Data Center Consumption
- 34% by 2035
- Texas Data Center Consumption
- 22% by 2035
- Wholesale Electricity Cost Increase in PJM
- 76% over the past year
- Global Additional Electricity Demand by 2033
- 1,935 terawatt-hours