US power demand to reach record highs in 2026–2027 driven by AI and data centers (opens in new tab)

(reuters.com)

6 pointslatentframe13d ago3 comments

3 comments

But where are these data centers? Iirc majority of these new builds are on hold.

It seems that AI is stopping being just a compute problem and becomes now an energy problem Power infrastructure scales really slower than chips so this could become a real important constraint.

aurareturn13d ago

This has been true for a few years now. US is gated by power. China is gated by advanced chips.

BLKNSLVR13d ago

The US needs solar and wind hardware manufactured by China.

China needs advanced chips manufactured by ... Taiwan.

aurareturn13d ago

Yes but TSMC themselves rely on software and fab equipment/materials made by Europe and US. TSMC also needs stuff from China, mind you.

It's all connected.

1 more reply

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3 comments

gregman113d ago

But where are these data centers? Iirc majority of these new builds are on hold.

latentframeOP13d ago

It seems that AI is stopping being just a compute problem and becomes now an energy problem Power infrastructure scales really slower than chips so this could become a real important constraint.

aurareturn13d ago

This has been true for a few years now. US is gated by power. China is gated by advanced chips.

BLKNSLVR13d ago

The US needs solar and wind hardware manufactured by China.

China needs advanced chips manufactured by ... Taiwan.

aurareturn13d ago

Yes but TSMC themselves rely on software and fab equipment/materials made by Europe and US. TSMC also needs stuff from China, mind you.

It's all connected.

1 more reply

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse