New datacentres risk doubling UK electricity use, regulator says | AI (artificial intelligence)
New datacentres risk doubling UK electricity use, regulator says | AI (artificial intelligence)
Publish Date: 2026-02-23 11:04:00
Source Domain: www.theguardian.com
Here are the key points summarized from the article:
– According to Ofgem, a total of 140 proposed datacentre projects across the UK could demand a combined 50 gigawatts (GW) of electricity, surpassing the current peak electricity consumption of the country.
– Datacentres driven primarily by the use of artificial intelligence (AI) have seen a significant surge in demand for new grid connections, with applications increasing from November 2024 to June the previous year.
– The power consumption from these datacentres will exceed even the most optimistic forecasts, outstripping the UK’s current peak demand by 5GW.
– The escalating need for grid access by datacentres could potentially delay other projects that contribute to the country’s goals for decarbonization and the reduction of reliance on fossil fuels.
– Ofgem warns that the surge in datacentre connection applications could impose severe difficulties in achieving the UK’s target for a virtually carbon-free power system by 2030.
– The connection of new renewable energy projects to the grid has not kept pace with their construction, potentially impacting the country’s clean energy targets.
– Ofgem has proposed financial tests for datacentre developers and is looking into charging for grid access to prevent backlogs and ensure that only viable projects proceed.
– The regulator envisions datacentres playing a pivotal role in the future electricity connection process, treating them as a global challenge that requires attention and strategic planning.
In all discussions, Ofgem emphasizes the importance of balancing the demand for grid access from datacentres with that of renewable energy and other decarbonization projects.
