How much energy does AI use, and why does it need so many data centers?
The Dallas Morning News examines how rapidly growing AI workloads are driving unprecedented demand for data centers and electricity in Texas. The article highlights major projects across the state and warns that data center interconnection requests could strain the grid, raise costs and require significant new generation capacity.
AI is accelerating data center construction and electricity demand across Texas. The article describes projects ranging from Prime Data Centers’ 20-megawatt campus near Dallas and CleanArc Data Centers’ planned 245-megawatt campus to much larger facilities planned by Microsoft, Meta and Fermi America. Fermi America and the Texas Tech University System have also announced a behind-the-meter HyperGrid AI complex near Amarillo.
Oncor reported that data centers accounted for most of the hundreds of gigawatts in its interconnection queue, far exceeding the utility’s available peak capacity. Hao Zhu, an associate professor at the University of Texas at Austin, said data centers are unusually challenging grid loads because their power demand fluctuates rapidly and must remain available continuously. The article says Texas may need faster-to-deploy gas and renewable generation, along with improved coordination and efficiency measures, to keep pace with AI-related demand.