"These findings come from the 2026 Datacenter Power Report [PDF] by Bloom Energy, a firm whose business is manufacturing solid oxide fuel cells, so it has more than a passing interest in onsite power generation. It says that, in just over a year, power availability has moved from being one of many planning considerations to one of the major constraints on datacenter growth, and this factor is reshaping the industry, at least in the US."
"But as The Register has covered before, it often isn't possible to add extra grid and generating capacity at the same rate as new server farms are popping up, because of issues such as planning restrictions and funding. Perhaps not helping is that datacenter firms consistently expect power to be available up to two years earlier than the utilities and power generating companies say it can be delivered, according to the report."
"This is forcing operators to go where the power is, and Texas is expected to be a big winner here, thanks to its ample energy resources. Bloom Energy forecasts that, by 2028, the state could exceed 40 GW of IT capacity, nearly 30 percent of the anticipated US total, and more than double its current share."
Power availability has shifted from a routine planning consideration to a major constraint on datacenter growth. Total IT infrastructure load could roughly double from about 80 GW in 2025 to 150 GW or more by 2028. Utility and generator expansion cannot always match rapid datacenter buildouts because of planning restrictions and funding delays. Datacenter operators often expect power up to two years earlier than utilities can deliver. Operators are relocating to regions with ample energy; Texas could exceed 40 GW of IT capacity by 2028, nearly 30% of the US total. Hyperscalers and colo providers expect roughly one-third of campuses to rely entirely on onsite power by 2030, while several regions face steep declines.
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