Washington Post and no paywall: “They are part of an AI moon shot, driven by an escalating U.S.-China war over dominance in the field. The projects are starting to transform landscapes and communities, sparking debates about what our energy systems and environment can sustain. The price includes increasing power costs for everyone and worrying surges in emissions and pollutants, according to government, industry and academic analyses. By 2030, industry and government projections show data centers could gobble up more than 10 percent of the nation’s power usage...Estimates vary, but all show a dizzying rise of between 60 and 150 percent in energy consumption by 2030. On average, they project U.S. data centers will use about 430 trillion watt-hours by 2030. That is enough electricity to power nearly 16 Chicagos. Some forecasts project it will keep growing from there…”

• See also Data Center Energy Infrastructure: Federal Permit Requirements, CRS Report December 11, 2025. A data center is a physical facility that houses computer systems for managing and transmitting data. The federal government has been pursuing policies to promote data center development, particularly for artificial intelligence (AI), a “critical and emerging technology” with data storage and processing requirements. On July 23, 2025, the Trump Administration announced the release of “Winning the AI Race: America’s AI Action Plan,” which includes among its key provisions “promoting rapid buildout of data centers.” Demand for data storage and processing capacities, especially for AI deployment, has led to the development of “hyperscale” data centers, which contain thousands of computer servers in very large, warehouse-like facilities. The growth of data centers—and their associated electricity demand—suggest that significant additional generation will be required to power them. A 2024 Department of Energy study projected that data center electricity consumption would rise from 176 terawatt-hours (TWh) in 2023 to between 325 and 580 TWh by 2028. To ensure access to long-term electricity supplies, developers of data centers are pursuing a range of facility configurations, energy technologies, and third-party contractual arrangements with electricity generators and electric utilities. Data centers require permits for their construction—including permits for energy infrastructure, such as electric grid connections, on-site electricity generation, and backup electricity facilities. They may also require permits for connections to natural gas pipelines and pipelines for carbon capture and sequestration. Projects developed off-site to serve data center electricity demand—such as power plants, pipelines, or carbon sequestration sites—also have permit requirements. Notwithstanding their energy intensity, individual data centers have a discrete footprint, typically falling under state and local siting jurisdiction. Some federal approvals may still apply. Depending on their configuration and location, energy infrastructure projects may need permits, authorizations, or reviews under various federal statutes.
• See also The power crunch threatening America’s AI ambitions – The Financial Times graphics team has released this very interactive piece arguing that “A lack of electricity for new data centres could deflate the AI ‘bubble’“. [not able to locate free access]