How Much Power Does a Data Center Actually Need?

PLACEHOLDER ARTICLE — this is example content demonstrating the /insights structure. Replace with real, published analysis before this goes live.

Power demand for AI infrastructure is usually measured in megawatts (MW) of critical IT load, not square footage. A single high-density GPU rack can draw 30–120 kW depending on the hardware generation, while a full AI training cluster can require anywhere from a few megawatts to several hundred.

This is exactly why site selection has shifted away from traditional data-center criteria (fiber proximity, tax incentives) toward power fundamentals: existing utility service, substation capacity, and interconnection queue position now matter more than almost anything else.

For property owners, the practical question is simpler than it sounds: what's already on site? Existing service entrance capacity, on-site substations, or proximity to transmission infrastructure can turn a stranded industrial asset into a highly competitive site — often faster than a greenfield build with a multi-year interconnection queue.