AI revolution faces major power crisis in the U.S.

November 10, 2025 (MLN): The United States’ race to lead the global artificial intelligence revolution is hitting an unexpected roadblock, a shortage of electricity to power it.

Tech giants including Google, Microsoft, Amazon (AWS), and Meta are investing hundreds of billions of dollars to build massive data centers filled with advanced chips. But the surge in demand for power is outpacing the nation’s energy infrastructure, raising fears that a lack of electricity could slow down the AI revolution, APP reported.

“The biggest issue we are now having is not a compute glut, but power and the ability to get builds done fast enough close to power,” Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said in a recent discussion with OpenAI chief Sam Altman.

Without sufficient electricity, Nadella warned, companies could be left with millions of chips they cannot even plug in.

In Virginia, the heart of global cloud computing, Dominion Energy’s commitments to data centers have soared to 47 gigawatts roughly the output of 47 nuclear reactors.

Studies suggest U.S. data centers, which currently consume about 4% of national electricity, could use as much as 12% by 2030.

To meet the demand, utilities are delaying coal plant closures and turning to natural gas, which already powers 40% of data centers worldwide.

Some companies, like Elon Musk’s xAI, are even purchasing used turbines and recycled aircraft engines to generate power faster.

Meanwhile, long-term solutions are taking shape. Amazon is promoting small modular nuclear reactors, Google plans to restart a reactor in Iowa by 2029, and the Trump administration recently declared an $80 billion plan to build ten new nuclear plants by 2030.

Tech companies are also investing heavily in solar and battery storage especially in Texas, which expects to add 100 gigawatts of renewable capacity by the end of the decade.

As the demand for AI surges, experts warn the “energy wall” could determine who wins and who stalls in the global race for artificial intelligence.

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