The projected volume would exceed current gas consumption in every country except China, Russia, Iran, and the U.S. itself, according to Bloomberg. Germany, Europe's largest economy, consumes roughly 9 billion cubic feet per day across its entire economy — less than what U.S. data centers alone are projected to burn by 2035.
The forecast places the electricity demands of artificial intelligence computing at the center of U.S. energy policy debates, according to analysts. BloombergNEF, Bloomberg, and S&P Global are the primary sources cited for the figures.
Buildout Scale: 30 Gigawatts and $110 Billion
Moody's estimates the demand surge requires more than 30 gigawatts of new gas-fired supply, part of a $110 billion power-plant buildout, according to Bloomberg. Gas-turbine orders have hit their highest level since 2000, driven by data-center load growth, according to S&P Global. Proposed gas plants tied to data centers could raise U.S. power-sector emissions by 20%, according to Bloomberg reporting from August 2026.
The strain is already visible in national grid planning. The PJM Interconnection, the largest U.S. regional power grid, is launching an emergency plan to secure 15 gigawatts of new electricity generation in response to surging demand from AI data centers, and the operator warns of a potential 60-gigawatt shortfall within a decade, affecting reliability for 65 million people [1]. PJM's capacity auction reached a record $16.1 billion, with electricity prices spiking to 33 cents per kilowatt-hour, four times China's rate, according to reporting on the grid crisis [2].
Texas has seen comparable pressure. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas reported grid connection requests jumped to 99 gigawatts, up from 40.8 gigawatts a year earlier, driven by AI, data centers, cryptocurrency mining, and hydrogen production [3]. Google confirmed plans to partner with a proposed 933-megawatt natural gas plant in Armstrong County, Texas, to power an AI data center, according to a report by Cleanview [4].
Why Operators Cite Gas: Speed, Reliability and Grid Queues
Industry officials say gas is fast to permit, fast to build, and runs around the clock without weather dependency. Grid interconnection queues for utility-scale renewables stretch three to five years in many U.S. markets, according to market analyses. Wind and solar generation remains intermittent, and operators say the growing energy needs of AI, data centers, and cloud computing exceed the capabilities of those sources for reliable baseload power [5].
RBC Capital Markets analysis cited in the BloombergNEF outlook says the trend toward behind-the-meter gas generation, where companies build their own power plant on-site and sidestep the grid entirely, makes accountability for emissions murkier. BloombergNEF analysis also shows the marginal cost of operating an on-site gas plant may be below industrial electricity tariffs, making continued on-site generation economically attractive [6].
"AI supremacy and energy dominance underpins our national security," Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., wrote on X on Aug. 22, adding that "China continues to fuel and benefit from our overreaction" [7]. Fetterman said he rejects "the political pandering and hyperbole over data centers or AI doomsdaying" [7].
Emissions, Disclosure and Regulatory Questions
Analysts say choosing gas today risks locking in fossil infrastructure for 30 or more years, well past credible net-zero timelines. The revised outlook states that data-center operators owe the public transparent Scope 2 emissions reporting and credible renewable procurement timelines, not vague net-zero pledges for 2040. Utilities, the outlook states, need to share honest load forecasts with regulators rather than filing for gas capacity approvals quietly.
State regulators have begun responding. Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey's executive order requires developers building data centers larger than 25 megawatts to provide clean power or pay into a ratepayer protection fund [8]. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro signed an executive order aimed at curbing data center growth, stating he would not allow Pennsylvanians to be "bullied by greedy developers and bulldozed by the lawyers working for these big tech companies" [9]. A separate Pennsylvania order offers preferential permitting treatment for data centers that commit to power supply, environmental, and cost-responsibility requirements [10].
Public opposition to data centers is widespread. A Gallup poll conducted in March found seven in 10 Americans oppose having data centers in their local area [11]. X said it identified a bot farm of roughly 200,000 suspected Chinese accounts, 200 of which were "posting in a manner that could manipulate a legitimate debate about American AI and energy policy" [12]. Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes has urged state lawmakers to pass a law temporarily pausing data center construction until the state develops a plan to address demand [13].
Outlook: Efficiency Gains and a Narrowing Window
AI chip efficiency is improving, and those gains could moderate demand growth somewhat, but no current forecast assumes they will be enough to change the trajectory, according to BloombergNEF. Gas-turbine supply chains are already stretched, with all available turbines committed by big tech for years to come, according to industry reporting [14].
The outlook states that the industry has a narrow window to choose a different path before $110 billion in gas infrastructure makes the choice for it and calls it inevitable. Debate continues among industry, regulators, and analysts over costs, emissions, and reliability, and no consensus forecast exists.
References
- Edison Reed. "Google Confirms Texas Gas Plant Partnership for AI Datacenter Amid Revised Climate Strategy". NaturalNews.com. April 3, 2026.
- Willow Tohi. "Texas grid faces AI-driven energy crunch: 99GW demand surge sparks debate on fossil fuels, nuclear and renewables". NaturalNews.com. March 11, 2025.
- NaturalNews.com. "Oh the irony: Natural gas is the real MVP for AI and data centers — green energy can't hack it". NaturalNews.com. December 19, 2024.
- NaturalNews.com. "PJM Grid Scrambles for 15 GW of Power as AI Data Centers Threaten Reliability". NaturalNews.com. April 13, 2026.
- NaturalNews.com. "Trump Administration Pushes Tech Giants to Fund $15B Power Plant Expansion Amid AI-Driven Grid Crisis". NaturalNews.com. January 19, 2026.
- ZeroHedge. "US Data Centers To Burn More Natural Gas Than Most Nations". ZeroHedge.com. September 14, 2026.
- TechCrunch. "Massachusetts hits data centers with new clean power rules". TechCrunch.com. September 9, 2026.
- Utility Dive. "Change 4 mindsets to build a more resilient US grid: NERC CEO Jim Robb". UtilityDive.com. September 15, 2026.
- The Center Square. "Arizona AG Mayes seeks moratorium on new data centers despite pushback". JustTheNews.com. September 3, 2026.
- NaturalNews.com. "Trump Doubles Down on Data Centers Despite Polls Showing Public Opposition". NaturalNews.com. September 1, 2026.
- ZeroHedge. "X Busts Suspected Chinese Bot Farm That Could 'Manipulate Legitimate Debate' Over America's AI Boom". ZeroHedge.com. August 29, 2026.
- Ethan Howland. "Pennsylvania Dangles Permitting Carrot For Data Centers That Bring Their Own Power". UtilityDive.com. August 21, 2026.
- The Epoch Times. "Pennsylvania Governor Signs Order Curbing AI Data Centers". TheEpochTimes.com. August 19, 2026.
- NTD. "Fetterman Rejects 'Overreaction' to AI and Data Centers, Says China Benefits". NTD.com. August 24, 2026.
- Mike Adams. "Bright Videos News - POWER GRID MANNARINO PRATHER transcript". BrightVideos.com. May 14, 2026.
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