aceUS building twice as much gas-fired capacity as China in AI boom, analysis finds
Abstract: The US has surged ahead of China in the building of new gas-fired power generation, largely to feed a boom in artificial intelligence (AI) that is adding vast amounts of planet-heating emissions, a new analysis has found. For decades, China’s rapid economic growth has seen it outpace the US in the addition of new gas power generation but a recent “frenzy” in datacenter construction for AI has reversed this, said Global Energy Monitor (Gem) in its new report. The US is now building twice as much gas-fired capacit…
In the first half of 2026 the US overtook China in new gas-fired power construction, driven largely by proposals for AI datacenters. According to Global Energy Monitor, US projects under construction jumped 76%, putting the US at twice China's level, with total gas capacity in development rising to 378GW.
The shift matters because powering datacenters with gas instead of renewables could raise US power emissions by up to 20% and lock in long-term fossil fuel dependence and ratepayer costs. Uncertainty remains because the worst-case figures depend on all announced and pre-construction projects being completed, and the emissions estimate is cited as one estimate rather than a measured outcome.
- US under-construction gas-fired capacity rose 76% in first half of 2026, now twice China's level and more than any other country.
- Total US gas capacity in development grew from 252GW to 378GW since January, a third of global total, with capital cost over $647bn if fully built.
- Around half of new US gas capacity is directly tied to upcoming AI datacenters, with tech firms including Google, Open AI, Amazon and xAI driving demand.
- Two-thirds of more than 800 planned datacenters are located in drought-stricken areas, fueling local opposition over water, power bills and climate.
AI datacenter boom is driving a surge in US gas-fired power development that risks locking in decades of pollution and raising power-sector emissions.
The rundown
Global Energy Monitor found the US reversed a decades-long trend and now has twice as much gas-fired capacity under construction as China, after a 76% jump in early 2026. Overall gas capacity in development in the US ballooned from 252GW to 378GW since January, representing a third of the global total and a potential two-thirds expansion of the US gas fleet at over $647bn.
About half of the new capacity is linked to AI datacenters, with a backlog of efficient turbines pushing some firms like xAI toward smaller, more polluting units. The analysis notes two-thirds of 800+ planned datacenters sit in drought-stricken areas, while polling shows three-quarters of Americans do not want to live next to a datacenter, prompting restrictions and a temporary ban in New York.
Sources
- JournalismThe Guardian2026-08-25
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