Overview
- More than 3,000 U.S. data centers are proposed or under construction, with many planning dedicated behind-the-meter gas plants that bypass public utilities.
- A Wired review, cited by Gizmodo, says 11 gas-powered data centers hold permits for more than 129 million tons of CO2 a year.
- Wired notes the totals reflect permitted limits rather than measured emissions, yet data centers often run near their caps as demand grows.
- Developers point to grid bottlenecks and a recent executive order that encourages companies to fund their own infrastructure as reasons to build private gas generation.
- The U.S. Energy Information Administration reports record natural gas use in 2025, and Global Energy Monitor says the U.S. now leads the world in new gas project development.