U.S. Electricity Capacity Growth and Regulatory Changes for AI Demand
By 2030, the U.S. could add approximately 82 GW of net capacity to meet rising electricity demands driven by AI, with significant regional variations. Legislative changes in Texas impose new requirements for Large Load customers, affecting interconnection processes and compliance.
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The U.S. is projected to add around 82 gigawatts (GW) of net electricity capacity by 2030, driven largely by AI demands. This includes 33 GW from front-of-the-meter (FTM) resources and 49 GW from behind-the-meter (BTM) sources, reflecting a significant increase from previous estimates.
In Texas, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) reported a surge in interconnection requests, with 205 GW classified as 'Large Load' in 2025, predominantly from data centers. However, new regulatory requirements introduced by Senate Bill 6 (S.B. 6) alter the development landscape for Large Load customers, necessitating compliance with updated interconnection standards and curtailment procedures. The changes may impact the speed of project completions and resource adequacy, emphasizing the need for strategic planning to accommodate large, inflexible loads.
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