Average Power Consumption of Data Centers [Updated April 2026]

Key findings:

• Global data center energy consumption increased from 269 TWh in 2020 to 416 TWh in 2024, a rise of 147 TWh over the period.
• Data center power consumption worldwide is projected to reach 946 TWh by 2030, which is 530 TWh higher than in 2024.
• The data center electricity consumption forecast reaches 1,200 TWh by 2035, an increase of 254 TWh from 2030.
• A conventional data center uses between 10 MWh and 25 MWh of electricity per hour, while a hyperscale AI data center uses around 100 MWh per hour.
• Meta's planned Hyperion campus in Louisiana can consume up to 43.8 million MWh per year at full 5 GW build-out, 50 times more than a hyperscale AI data center (Phase 1 at 2 GW is targeted for completion by 2030).
• The Citadel - Switch is the largest data center in the world by MW, with a power capacity of 650 MW, more than double the 315 MW capacity of Switch SuperNAP.
• Data center electricity consumption in the USA rises from 108 TWh in 2020 to 426 TWh in 2030, an increase of 318 TWh.

Data center electricity demand is growing faster than most other sources of power consumption. As cloud computing, streaming, AI workloads, and digital services continue to expand, data centers are becoming one of the largest new sources of electricity demand worldwide.

Global data center energy consumption reached 416 TWh in 2024 and is projected to rise to 946 TWh by 2030. At the same time, the scale of individual facilities is increasing rapidly, with the largest AI-focused campuses requiring hundreds of megawatts of capacity.

This article examines data center power consumption from several perspectives, including global electricity demand, average facility-level usage, forecasts through 2035, the largest data centers by MW, and regional consumption patterns.

Data center electricity demand is becoming a larger share of total global electricity use, making it important to understand how quickly consumption is growing across the industry.

Global data center power consumption over time

The chart below shows data center power consumption worldwide between 2020 and 2030. It highlights how much energy data centers use globally and how rapidly data center energy consumption is projected to increase over the rest of the decade.

• Global data center energy consumption increased from 269 TWh in 2020 to 416 TWh in 2024, an increase of 147 TWh.
• Data center power consumption worldwide is projected to reach 946 TWh by 2030, which is 530 TWh higher than in 2024.
• Between 2020 and 2030, data center power consumption is expected to grow by 677 TWh, more than tripling over the period.

Data center energy consumption worldwide: 2020 to 2030

These figures show that data center power consumption is rising much faster than overall electricity demand. For companies asking how much power a data center uses, the answer increasingly depends on the scale of hyperscale and AI-focused facilities. As data center energy consumption continues to grow, electricity supply, infrastructure planning, and efficiency improvements will become more important.

After looking at global data center power consumption, it is useful to compare how much power individual facilities use based on their size and type.

How much power does a data center use per hour

The chart below shows how much power a data center uses per hour across different facility types. It compares the average power consumption of a data center, from conventional facilities to hyperscale AI campuses and the largest planned projects.

• A conventional data center uses between 10 MWh and 25 MWh of electricity per hour.
• A hyperscale AI data center uses around 100 MWh per hour, which is 4 times more than a large conventional data center.
• Meta's planned Hyperion campus in Louisiana — the largest announced single data center project — can use up to 5,000 MWh per hour at full 5 GW build-out, which is 50 times more than a hyperscale AI data center. Phase 1 (2 GW) is targeted for completion by 2030.

Average power consumption of a data center by facility type

These figures show that hourly electricity demand varies significantly depending on the scale of the facility. While the average power consumption of a data center remains relatively moderate for conventional sites, AI-focused and large-scale campuses require substantially more electricity. This also explains why questions around how many megawatts a data center uses have become more important as hyperscale infrastructure expands.

Hourly demand provides only part of the picture, since the scale of data center energy consumption becomes much larger when viewed over a full day of operation.

How much power does a data center use per day

The chart below shows how much power a data center uses per day across different types of facilities. It compares daily electricity demand for conventional sites, hyperscale campuses, and the largest planned projects.

• A conventional data center uses between 240 MWh and 600 MWh of electricity per day.
• A hyperscale AI data center consumes around 2,400 MWh per day, which is 4 times more than a large conventional data center.
• Meta's planned Hyperion campus can use up to 120,000 MWh per day at full build-out, which is 50 times more than a hyperscale AI data center.

Daily data center energy consumption by facility type

These figures show that daily electricity requirements increase rapidly as facilities become larger and more specialized. For companies asking how much power a data center uses per day, the answer can range from a few hundred megawatt-hours to well above 100,000 MWh, depending on the size of the campus. The average power consumption of a data center is therefore heavily influenced by the growing share of hyperscale and AI-focused infrastructure.

Daily electricity use becomes even more significant when measured over a full year, especially for hyperscale and AI-focused facilities.

How much energy does a data center use per year

The chart below shows how much energy a data center uses per year across different facility types. It compares annual electricity demand for conventional facilities, hyperscale AI campuses, and the largest planned data center projects.

• A conventional data center uses between 87,600 MWh and 219,000 MWh of electricity per year.
• A hyperscale AI data center consumes around 876,000 MWh per year, which is 4 times more than a large conventional data center.
• Meta's planned Hyperion campus can use up to 43.8 million MWh per year at full build-out, which is 50 times more than a hyperscale AI data center.

Annual data center energy consumption by facility type

These figures show that annual data center energy consumption varies widely depending on the scale of the facility. While the average power consumption of a data center remains below 250,000 MWh per year for conventional sites, large AI-focused campuses require several million megawatt-hours annually. This is one reason why questions about how many megawatts a data center uses have become more important as larger facilities continue to enter the market.

After reviewing how much energy individual facilities consume, it is also important to examine long-term data center electricity demand at the global level.

Global data center electricity demand forecast through 2035

The chart below shows data center electricity consumption trends between 2020 and 2035. It highlights the projected increase in data center electricity demand, including the growing role of AI in overall data center electricity demand growth.

• Global data center electricity demand increased from 269 TWh in 2020 to 416 TWh in 2024, an increase of 147 TWh.
• Data center energy consumption in 2030 is projected to reach 946 TWh, which is 530 TWh higher than in 2024.
• The data center electricity consumption forecast reaches 1,200 TWh by 2035, which is 254 TWh higher than the 2030 level.

Data center energy consumption forecast: 2020 to 2035

These figures show that data center electricity demand is expected to continue growing rapidly over the next decade. The data center energy consumption forecast suggests that global demand could more than quadruple between 2020 and 2035. Much of this increase is linked to AI data center electricity demand, which is becoming a larger share of total electricity use across the industry.

After examining long-term data center electricity demand, it is useful to compare the facilities with the highest power requirements.

Largest data centers in the world by MW capacity

The chart below ranks the largest data centers in the world by power capacity in megawatts and compares the number of megawatts used by large data centers across major facilities. It also highlights which sites have the largest data center power consumption.

• The Citadel - Switch has the highest power capacity at 650 MW, which is more than double the 315 MW capacity of Switch SuperNAP.
• Among the top 10 largest data centers by power consumption, 6 facilities are located in the United States, and 3 are located in China.
• The largest facility on the list uses 638 MW more capacity than Covilhã Data Center, which has a power capacity of 12 MW.

Top data centers by power consumption and capacity

These figures show that the largest data center power consumption is concentrated in a relatively small number of hyperscale campuses. The largest data center in the world by MW has a capacity that is several times higher than most other facilities on the list. While the largest data center storage capacity is often discussed together with physical size, power capacity is becoming a more important benchmark as AI workloads and hyperscale infrastructure continue to expand.

After comparing the largest facilities by MW, it is also important to examine where data center electricity demand is concentrated geographically.

Data center electricity usage by country and region

The chart below shows data center electricity usage by country and region between 2020 and 2030. It compares the largest data center markets and highlights how data center energy consumption by region is expected to change over time.

• North America is projected to increase from 112 TWh in 2020 to 434 TWh in 2030, an increase of 322 TWh.
• Data center electricity consumption in the USA rises from 108 TWh in 2020 to 426 TWh in 2030, an increase of 318 TWh.
• China grows from 62 TWh in 2020 to 277 TWh in 2030, adding 215 TWh of data center electricity demand.

Largest data center markets by electricity consumption

These figures show that the largest data center markets remain concentrated in North America, China, and Europe, with the United States representing the largest single-country market. Data center electricity usage by country is growing fastest in the United States and China, while Europe continues to represent a large share of global demand. Although smaller regions such as Africa and the Middle East remain well below 5 TWh, their data center energy consumption by region is still expected to increase over the rest of the decade.

Conclusions

• The data shows that data center power consumption is increasing rapidly at both the global and facility levels. Global data center energy consumption rose from 269 TWh in 2020 to 416 TWh in 2024 and is projected to reach 946 TWh by 2030. The longer-term data center electricity consumption forecast reaches 1,200 TWh by 2035, indicating that electricity demand from data centers is expected to continue growing over the next decade.
• Differences across facility types further illustrate how much power a data center uses. Conventional facilities typically consume between 10 MWh and 25 MWh per hour, while hyperscale AI data centers use around 100 MWh per hour. Meta's planned Hyperion campus (Louisiana) can require as much as 5,000 MW of power capacity at full build-out and up to 43.8 million MWh per year, showing how significantly power requirements increase with scale.
• The largest data center in the world by MW also demonstrates how concentrated the market has become among hyperscale campuses. The Citadel - Switch leads with 650 MW of capacity, followed by Switch SuperNAP at 315 MW. Most of the largest facilities are concentrated in the United States and China, reflecting where the largest investments in data center infrastructure are taking place.
• Regional patterns add another layer to the analysis. Data center electricity consumption in the USA rises from 108 TWh in 2020 to 426 TWh in 2030, while China increases from 62 TWh to 277 TWh over the same period. Europe also grows from 57 TWh to 113 TWh, although at a slower pace than North America and China.
• The largest data center markets remain heavily concentrated in a small number of regions. North America is projected to reach 434 TWh by 2030, while the Asia Pacific region rises to 378 TWh. Smaller regions such as Africa, the Middle East, and Central and South America remain below 5 TWh, although their data center energy consumption by region is still expected to increase.
• Overall, the data center electricity consumption forecast reflects a combination of rising AI demand, growing hyperscale infrastructure, and expanding regional markets. These factors collectively explain why data center power consumption worldwide accounts for a growing share of global electricity demand.

Sources

• Writer, Tamzid. "15 Largest Data Centers in the World." Brightlio - Technology Illuminated, 10 Apr. 2025, https://brightlio.com/largest-data-centers-in-the-world/. Accessed 01 April 2026.
• https://iea.blob.core.windows.net/assets/de9dea13-b07d-42c5-a398-d1b3ae17d866/EnergyandAI.pdf. Accessed 01 April 2026.