U.S. data center power use rises; DOE/EPRI 2028–30 outlook

Key Takeaways:

• U.S. data centers accounted for roughly 4.4% of 2023 electricity.
• About 7% is projected, not the current 2023 consumption share.
• Fact-check clarifies baseline versus projection: 4.4% now, near 7% ahead.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, U.S. data centers used about 4.4% of national electricity in 2023, roughly 176 TWh, up from about 58 TWh in 2014. The widely cited “~7%” figure reflects near-term scenarios rather than the current baseline; the same report projects data center use could reach roughly 6.7%–12% by 2028, depending on growth assumptions.

Separately, the Electric Power Research Institute projects data centers could consume around 6.8%–9.1% of U.S. electricity by 2030 under likely scenarios. Taken together, these outlooks indicate that “about 7%” is a reasonable midpoint within authoritative projections for the back half of the decade, not a description of 2023 consumption.

These projections are scenario-based and sensitive to how quickly AI workloads scale, the pace of data center construction, grid interconnection timelines, and efficiency gains. As with any forecast, realized outcomes may differ if deployment accelerates, projects slip, or efficiency measures outpace load growth.

Today’s share reflects a rapid buildout for cloud services and AI accelerators, while efficiency improvements and higher server utilization continue to moderate growth at the margin. The interplay of these forces is central to how institutional models translate workload expansion into national electricity demand.

Localized effects can diverge from the national picture. According to a U.S. Senate release, some policymakers warn that rapid data center development could pressure regional electricity costs and cited scenarios where data centers might approach about 11.7% of U.S. demand by 2030.

Industry analysts emphasize that the verified 2023 baseline is a starting point, with the near-term trajectory contingent on project timing, grid upgrades, and siting decisions. Editorially, that is why current-use claims should be distinguished from modeled shares later in the decade.

“There’s so much more to come,” said Marina Domingues, Vice President of U.S. New Energies at Rystad Energy. Her observation underscores that modeled growth ranges depend on how quickly AI and cloud capacity are financed, built, and connected to the grid.

Bottom line: For 2023, approximately 4.4% is the documented U.S. share; “about 7%” aligns with credible near-term projections rather than current consumption.

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