Nations across Europe are striving to launch additional data centers, as artificial intelligence laboratories globally consistently seek more computational resources. The main impediment is electricity—and notably, the capability to transport it.
Even though Europe is projected to produce ample energy, according to utility specialists, network operators generally do not possess the necessary infrastructure to convey it to required locations. This constraint is impeding grid capacity and, consequently, restricting the number of new electricity-intensive data centers that can connect without risking widespread power failures.
National Grid, the entity managing the power transmission system across England and Wales, states that envisioned data centers—collectively demanding in excess of 30 gigawatts (GW) of electricity—are queuing for connection to its network. This demand is comparable to two-thirds of Great Britain’s peak power usage. Even factoring in the probability that some of these facilities will never be constructed, current capacity is inadequate to accommodate them all.
The prolonged delay in receiving permission to connect is leading to the termination of some data center developments, thereby thwarting European aims to secure a portion of the hundreds of billions of dollars AI research facilities are investing in computational power. “Throughout Europe, initiatives are being scrapped because there is no network access,” states Taco Engelaar, managing director at Neara, a company focused on grid optimization.
Pressured by governing bodies to resolve this bottleneck, grid operators are testing various strategies to extract more capacity from their current networks. These include altering the metals utilized in power lines, rerouting around congested areas, and dynamically adjusting the energy flow across lines according to shifting weather patterns.
“No single, easy solution exists,” comments Steve Smith, President at National Grid Partners, which serves as National Grid’s venture capital arm. “One must pursue a multitude of strategies.”
The backlog of data centers seeking to connect to the UK grid began a swift expansion towards late 2024, coinciding with the government’s classification of them as “critical national infrastructure.” Since that period, connection requests have “considerably surpassed even the most ambitious projections,” according to Ofgem, the UK’s energy regulatory body, and the waiting list has grown by three times. “We anticipated a fresh wave of demand arising from the electrification of transport and heating,” Smith remarks. “Now, AI has compounded this.”
An apparent solution is the construction of new power lines, but this method proves both costly and time-consuming. Depending on the scope of a project, developing fresh transmission infrastructure can require anywhere from seven to fourteen years, considering potential planning difficulties, legal protests, supply chain and labor shortages, and the actual building process. “It takes considerable time to install the equipment, connect it, and have the linemen complete all that work,” states Jack Presley Abbott, deputy director for strategic planning and connections at Ofgem.
The distinct geographical features of the UK present additional difficulties. A substantial amount of the UK’s renewable power is produced in Scotland and North England, yet energy consumption—including by data centers—is concentrated in the country’s opposite, more densely populated region. Furthermore, challenging landscapes on the UK’s western side compel transmission lines to be channeled along the eastern stretch of the mainland or offshore, thereby restricting avenues for network expansion.
In light of this situation, National Grid is exploring technologies that can be retroactively implemented to wring further capacity from the network and potentially enable additional data centers to connect. “Major clients prepared to pay for utilizing your network are excellent. The enigma is, can you devise strategies to link them without needing to construct vast amounts of new infrastructure?” Smith questions.
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