US Gas Power Buildout for Data Centers Nearly Doubles in Under a Year

Research firm Global Energy Monitor released updated findings Tuesday showing that gas-fired power projects developed specifically for US data centers have grown sharply. At the end of 2025, the group tracked 97 gigawatts of such projects; by mid-2026, that figure has risen to more than 189 gigawatts. In early 2024, the total stood at just about 4 gigawatts. A single gigawatt can theoretically supply power to roughly a million homes.

Analyst Jenny Martos said the US gas power buildout is becoming increasingly tied to data center construction. Over the past two years, companies have increasingly turned to private, "behind-the-meter" power plants to avoid long waits for grid connections. This approach can also help prevent shifting extra costs onto regular electricity customers, an issue that has become contentious as opposition to data center development grows across the country.

Policy support and climate costs

The Trump administration has encouraged tech companies to supply their own power, introducing a voluntary pledge signed by Microsoft, Meta, Google, OpenAI, several Republican governors, and major utility companies. However, this expansion carries a significant climate cost, since many facilities use inefficient turbines that increase emissions — some of these plants are permitted to emit more greenhouse gases annually than many small or medium-sized countries.

Comparison with China

Global Energy Monitor data shows the US has now overtaken China as the country with the largest pipeline of planned gas projects. In China, data center growth relies mostly on renewable energy, particularly solar and hydropower, with many facilities built in rural areas that have surplus energy production. Experts note that relying on gas in the US may make economic sense in the near term, but over the long run it means higher emissions and less investment in clean energy.

Martos noted that not all planned projects will ultimately be built — many haven't yet begun construction, and their fate depends on financing, local opposition, and equipment supply constraints. Still, if all the tracked projects were completed, they would lock in high emissions levels for decades.