Global Data Center Power Demand Capacity to Hit 161 GW in 2026
AI servers are projected to represent 33.4% of global data center power demand capacity in 2026, while the projected grid-capacity gap could reach roughly 268 GW by 2030.
Global data center power demand capacity is projected to reach 161 GW in 2026, intensifying pressure on grids as artificial intelligence drives a larger share of computing infrastructure.
The figure would represent an increase of about 31% from 122.9 GW in 2025. AI servers are expected to account for approximately 33.4% of total data center power demand capacity in 2026, compared with nearly 25% this year. Their share could exceed 40% in 2027.
The forecast measures power demand capacity rather than electricity consumption. It includes general servers, AI servers, other information-technology equipment and non-IT systems such as cooling and power infrastructure.
The gap between data center demand capacity and available grid capacity is also projected to widen. Global demand capacity could reach 490.7 GW by 2030, while grid capacity available to data centers is projected at 222.6 GW, implying a roughly 268 GW difference.
That difference does not represent a confirmed physical electricity shortage. The grid-capacity estimate excludes behind-the-meter and other on-site generation, which could reduce the actual gap. Delays in grid interconnections and transmission construction, however, could create actual power shortages.
The United States could face a data center power supply-demand gap of more than 170 GW by 2030. Earlier coverage of rising pressure on U.S. power markets from AI data centers described the infrastructure risks created by rapidly increasing demand.
High-voltage direct current systems are being considered as data center operators and power providers seek to improve power-distribution efficiency. The approach is expected to become more relevant as larger AI server deployments increase the electricity requirements of new facilities.
