Resource
Overview
The rapid expansion of data centers and electricity demand due to the development of Artificial Intelligence
services represents both a strategic opportunity and a systems challenge for the United States. America
faces a defining infrastructure moment; the Electric Power Research Institute’s 2026 Powering Intelligence
report projects data centers could consume between 9 and 17 percent of U.S. electricity generation by 2030
— more than double current use and 60 percent higher than EPRI projected just two years ago. The five
largest technology companies plan to spend between $660 and $690 billion on AI infrastructure in 2026
alone. That level of private capital commitment is roughly five times greater than peak federal spending on the
Interstate Highway System as a share of GDP. AI is fast on its way to becoming the largest coordinated
investment mobilization in the history of capitalism.
ACEC member firms — the engineers designing the power plants, transmission and water systems, and data
infrastructure at the center of this transformation — have and will continue to be in a critical position to
deliver these projects and design solutions around energy savings, water usage and other challenges.
Advanced computing is increasingly energy and resource intensive. Large facilities can require power at the
scale of a mid-sized city that can significantly strain existing energy and resource infrastructure.
This growth is occurring amid:
- Tight regional capacity margins
- Transmission constraints and interconnection backlogs
- Heightened public concern over retail rates, water use, and emissions
- Ongoing federal, state, and local discussions over jurisdiction, zoning, and permitting
ACEC represents the engineering firms that design, deliver, and maintain the Nation’s energy infrastructure.
Rather than advocating for any single technology, industry, or project the organization advocates for
infrastructure that strengthens U.S. economic competitiveness, national security, and community resilience.