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US gas-fired power projects surge for AI datacenters, analysis finds
Under-construction gas capacity in the US jumped 76% in the first half of the year, pushing overall development up 50% since January.
A new analysis by Global Energy Monitor found the US is pulling ahead of China in building gas-fired power capacity, driven largely by a surge in AI-linked datacenter demand. The report says the amount of under-construction gas-fired projects in the US rose 76% in the first half of this year. Overall gas power capacity in development has climbed 50% since January, increasing from 252GW to 378GW, with the US now building nearly twice as much as China.
Global Energy Monitor also projects that if announced and pre-construction projects are completed, the US would expand its gas fleet by around two-thirds, with a capital cost of more than $647bn. The group estimates around half of the new capacity is directly tied to upcoming datacenters that require large amounts of electricity to meet AI workloads.
The analysis warns that relying on gas instead of renewables to power the datacenter buildout could raise US power emissions by as much as 20%, using one estimate cited in the report. Global Energy Monitor project manager Jenny Martos said the current datacenter proposal surge powered by gas, and its climate and fuel-cost implications, is significant.
Jenny Martos added that the US and China situation has reversed, noting that six months ago China had more gas plants under construction, but that leadership has shifted. She also argued that building this gas for AI could lock in pollution for decades and increase long-term dependence on volatile fuel costs.