Data Center Power Needs Could Surge 24% a Year Through 2030
Techstrong IT, Wednesday, October 7th, 2026
McKinsey projects data center electricity use could grow 24% a year through 2030, with power supply falling short of AI demand.
Techstrong IT reports that McKinsey's Global Energy Perspective 2026 projects data center electricity consumption could grow 24% a year through 2030 and reach 10% to 15% of global electricity, the fastest-growing new load in developed markets.
McKinsey's near-term scenarios show power supply falling short of IT compute demand through 2030, with transmission lines, transformers, grid approvals and storage gating capacity as much as new generation.
Operators are turning to on-site natural gas, fuel cells and batteries while they wait for utility connections.