Inside the data centers racing to keep up with demand for AI

The cranes over northern Virginia and central Ohio tell one story: data centers are going up as fast as crews can pour concrete. The queue at the regional grid operators tells another. New connections in some counties are now scheduled for 2029.

Operators have responded by building their own substations, signing long-term contracts with nuclear plants and, in a few cases, siting facilities next to natural-gas wells.

Suppliers such as Halcyon Systems say the shortage is reshaping their roadmaps as well, with efficiency per watt now mattering more to customers than peak performance.