Data centers drive record U.S. gas-fired power buildout
This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.
Planned U.S. gas-fired power capacity tied to data centers nearly doubled in the first half of 2026, reaching 189 GW. Amazon, Nvidia, and Microsoft are pursuing major gas-powered projects to meet AI demand. The surge has raised concerns about consumer costs and potential project delays.
Key Facts
- Planned U.S. gas-fired power capacity tied to data centers nearly doubled in the first half of 2026 to 189 GW.
- Amazon is building a gas-fired power plant in Texas that could become the single-biggest source of power-related emissions in the United States.
- Nvidia, SoftBank, and the federal government plan to build the largest fossil-fuel plant in the U.S. to power an OpenAI project in Ohio.
- Microsoft is in talks with Chevron for a $7 billion gas-powered data center in Texas.
- U.S. gas-fired power capacity in development reached 378 GW in the first half of 2026, up 50% in six months, according to Global Energy Monitor.
Data Center Demand
The expansion of data centers to power the artificial intelligence boom is causing a natural gas revival in the United States. Planned gas-fired power capacity tied to data centers nearly doubled in the first half of 2026 alone, as Big Tech players turn to massive new power plants to support the insatiable demand of hyperscale data center campuses. A June report from Business Insider found that if all data centers permitted through 2025 come online, they will use between 224.3 terawatt-hours and 358.8 terawatt-hours of electricity annually, an increase of 50% over the previous year across the range. That is approximately as much energy as all of Mexico, a country with a population of more than 130 million people, uses in a year.
Major Projects
Amazon is currently building a gas-fired power plant in Texas that is set to become the single-biggest source of power-related emissions in the entire United States if it is developed according to current plans, which include seven gas plants. Nvidia announced this month that it would team up with Japan's SoftBank and the federal government to build the United States' largest fossil-fuel plant to power an Ohio project by OpenAI, the firm behind ChatGPT. Microsoft is currently in talks with Chevron for a $7 billion gas-powered data center in Texas.
Capacity Surge and Risks
As of the first six months of 2026, the United States had 378 GW of gas-fired power capacity in development, up 50 percent in just six months, according to Global Energy Monitor. Of that, 189 GW was tied directly to data centers. The U.S. now accounts for roughly one-third of all planned gas-fired capacity worldwide, while Texas is adding new proposals faster than anywhere else. According to a recent report from Semafor, it remains unclear if all of those plants will ultimately be built, since most projects are in early development and the demand surge has led to a bottleneck for gas turbines, with some suppliers warning of yearslong lead times. Semafor also warns that political pressures and social backlash could lead to a cool-off period for data center development, which would also cause planned gas-powered energy additions to taper off.
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Data centers drive record U.S. gas-fired power buildout
