US Data Centers' Electricity Demand Expected to Double by 2030
US data centers drew 4% of national electricity in 2024. By 2030 that share is projected to more than double — and AI workloads are the fastest-growing slice. Here's what the grid actually has to absorb.
U.S. data centers consumed 4% of the nation's total electricity in 2024, a figure expected to more than double by 2030, according to the Pew Research Center.
This rise in demand reflects a continued upward trend. From 2018 to 2023, data center energy use in the U.S. grew from approximately 76 TWh to 176 TWh. This increased their share of national electricity consumption from 1.9% to 4.4% over the five-year period, as reported by the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs.
Artificial intelligence is a significant factor in this growth. While AI workloads currently account for about 20% of data centers' energy use, this share is projected to increase to 40% by 2030, according to a report cited by PBS NewsHour. Consumer Reports notes that by 2028, data centers could consume 12% of all U.S. electricity, a projection from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
The increasing energy demands from data centers have impacted electricity costs. Wholesale electricity prices have risen by as much as 267% over the past five years in areas near U.S. data centers, costs which are subsequently passed on to customers, Bloomberg reported.
These projections highlight the growing energy footprint of data centers and the increasing role of AI in driving electricity demand across the United States over the next several years.
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