U.S. Data Center Infrastructure Faces $110 Billion Power Buildout Through 2030

America's surging artificial intelligence infrastructure demands will require $110 billion in new power generation capacity over the next four years, according to an analysis by Moody's Ratings, as data centers' share of U.S. electricity consumption is projected to double from 5 percent to 10 percent by 2030. The buildout will add 45 gigawatts of new generating capacity to meet an estimated 426 terawatt-hours of annual data center electricity consumption—a 133 percent increase from 2024 levels. The investment underscores how AI adoption has transformed power infrastructure from a technical utility consideration into a critical constraint on economic growth, with electricity now competing with semiconductor chip availability and real estate as a scarce input for technology companies.