Overview

• A new McKinsey report finds data center electricity demand growing about 17% annually worldwide and roughly 25% in the US, with data centers projected to exceed 14% of US power demand by 2030.
• US utilities forecast roughly 60 gigawatts of new load from data centers this decade, and regulators in Louisiana approved Entergy’s recovery of $5 billion for three gas plants tied to a Meta facility.
• Arizona Public Service is securing additional natural gas supply and has dropped its 2050 carbon‑neutral goal, reflecting near‑term reliability needs for fast‑rising loads in a hot, fast‑growing state.
• The Department of Energy estimates data center demand could nearly triple within three years to about 12% of US electricity, while McKinsey expects fossil fuels to remain a large share of the mix through 2050.
• Water use is intensifying concerns in the arid Mountain West, with a 2024 federal report citing 17 billion gallons used annually by US data centers and Tribal leaders near Reno warning that new draws could reduce flows to Pyramid Lake.