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Main article: Data centers
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Chronicle
2025
Why data centers in the United States are switching to coal power and are not going to leave it
in Data centers USA are actively switching to power from coal-fired power plants due to the skyrocketing demand for electricity caused by technology developments. artificial intelligence High prices for natural gas and shortage of generating capacities force operators to data centers abandon environmental obligations. Usage coal power engineering specialists in the United States rose 20%. This was reported by The Register on October 13, 2025.
Jefferies experts point out that data center operators are looking to get more and more capacity, with accelerated load growth expected between 2026 and 2028. The rise in electricity demand unexpectedly gave a second wind to coal power, which the authorities of the United States and other countries planned to abandon at the state level. Analysts state that the forecast for coal generation has been raised by 11%. Experts expect it to remain at a high level until at least 2027.
Coal has become more profitable to use compared to natural gas, especially for existing plants. Experts have previously warned that due to rising demand for electricity due to the increase in the number of data centers in the United States, there may not be enough available generating capacity. This will lead to an extension of the life of coal-fired power plants. Data center operators and hyperscalers are likely to abandon previous environmental promises and try to hide the real environmental performance of their activities.
In Omaha, one energy company has abandoned coal power cuts because of the need to maintain nearby data centers. Otherwise, there may be a shortage of electricity in the district. Continued operation of coal-fired power plants affects air quality near them and prevents greenhouse gas emissions from being reduced. Some environmentalists characterize coal as the dirtiest way to produce energy.[1]
The US Air Force allowed the construction of private data centers at air bases. Work has already begun
On October 21, 2025, the US Air Force announced a decision to lease land to private companies at five military bases for the construction of data centers designed for artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. We are talking about land at Arnold Air Force Bases (Tennessee), Davis-Montana (Arizona), Edwards (California), Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst (New Jersey) and Robins (Georgia). Read more here.
2024
Data centers in the United States began to feed coal
In mid-April 2024, it was reported that data centers (data centers) in Northern Virginia USA () were forced to switch to energy from coal-fired power plants. The reason is the rapid expansion data centers in the region, which is why there is a shortage of energy resources.
According to the US Department of Energy, one data center may require 50 times more electricity than a regular office building. In Northern Virginia, the number of data centers has been growing steadily since the 1990s. They are located mainly in Loudon and Prince William counties; in addition, construction of sites is underway in Maryland. As of April 2024, there are about 300 data centers in the region, creating a huge load on the energy complex. Loudon receives approximately $600 million in data center taxes each year, and Prince William receives approximately $100 million in taxes.
Renewable energy sources are not able to meet the needs of data centers in Northern Virginia, and therefore the operation of coal plants continues. This worsens the environmental situation, which is why local residents have health problems. In addition, people complain about the strong noise that comes from cooling systems and other equipment located at the sites of data center operators.
Authorities in Northern Virginia are considering laying hundreds of kilometers of new power lines from neighboring states. However, the project has faced resistance from farmers, who claim that such highways will pass through their agricultural land, which means they will deprive them of part of the land and profit. Energy companies promise to compensate any losses to local residents, but discontent among the population is growing. It is also said about a possible increase in electricity bills.[2]
5388 data centers
2023: The United States began to create data centers with nuclear reactors
In mid-August 2023, it became known that the American company Green Energy Partners (GEP), in partnership with IP3 International, a nuclear technology firm, began creating a network of data centers (DPCs) with nuclear reactors. Read more here.
2022: Total Capacity of Northern Virginia Data Centers - 2.552 MW
Notes
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