AI Builders Propose 181GW of On-Site Gas Power to Bypass Grid Delays

Developers of artificial intelligence datacentres in the United States, United Kingdom, and mainland Europe have proposed on-site gas power stations with a combined capacity of 181GW. This planned infrastructure aims to solve delays in connecting to national electricity grids. The total capacity is nearly four times the peak electricity demand of Great Britain.

The United States dominates these proposals, accounting for 90% of the planned on-site gas power. If the US rollout proceeds as planned, research from BloombergNEF estimates the facilities would generate 345 million metric tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent annually. That volume matches the yearly greenhouse gas emissions of approximately 72.8 million fossil fuel cars.

BloombergNEF projects that electricity demand from AI datacentres will nearly quadruple by 2035. The forecast total is 2,354 terawatt-hours, which represents 7% of global electricity demand. These facilities require substantial power to run servers, cool equipment, and maintain other systems. Mark Daly, head of datacentres and emerging tech at BloombergNEF, stated that the economics of AI have made securing power quickly a top priority for developers.

Daly noted that developers describe the proposed gas supplies as temporary measures while awaiting grid access. However, he warned that financial incentives could encourage continued generation once the plants are operating. This could leave facilities dependent on fossil fuels for longer than intended. The report identified faster grid connections as the key factor in limiting emissions and preventing prolonged fossil fuel use.

In the United Kingdom, proposed datacentres made more than 100 inquiries about gas connections during 2024 and 2025. Future Energy Networks, which represents UK gas networks, tracked these inquiries as a result of electricity grid delays. Wapseys Wood in Buckinghamshire and Quest Park in Bedfordshire are two developments seeking their own gas power stations.

These two projects are among the first to enter the UK government’s fast-track regime for nationally significant infrastructure projects. This process bypasses locally elected planning authorities. Chancellor John Healey has backed temporary on-site fossil fuel power stations for datacentres awaiting grid connections through a specific datacentre covenant.

Oliver Hayes, head of policy and campaigns at Global Action Plan, criticized the government’s backing. He argued that private gas plants for datacentres are incompatible with serious climate action. Hayes challenged the claim that the stations would be temporary, warning that building them would entrench high emissions for years.