Cleanview reports that the United States is set to expand its data center power capacity sevenfold. Currently, the country operates 1,298 data centers with a total capacity of 61,560 megawatts. The pipeline includes 2,142 planned projects that are expected to add 380,312 megawatts to the national footprint.
Texas leads the expansion, with projected capacity between 75 and 100 gigawatts. Virginia and Utah are also significant contributors to this growth. However, many of the planned projects are still undergoing regulatory approval, which remains a key variable for the industry.
A notable trend is the rise of behind-the-meter projects, where data centers build on-site power generation using natural gas turbines. Cleanview has identified 59 such projects totaling 90 gigawatts. Since early 2025, 92% of these announcements have emerged, representing 82 gigawatts.
The xAI Colossus site in Memphis, Tennessee, serves as a case study for this approach. The facility, backed by Elon Musk, utilizes approximately 1.5 gigawatts of mobile gas turbines. According to Cleanview founder Michael Thomas, the industry is prioritizing speed and unconventional equipment.
