Data center gas plants to boost US power emissions by 20%

Aug 18, 2026

A Bloomberg News analysis reveals that data center developers are planning 99 bespoke natural-gas power plants tracked by BloombergNEF. These proposed plants could emit 318 million metric tons of carbon dioxide annually, potentially boosting United States power sector emissions by 20% to 33% compared to the 1,485 million metric tons emitted in 2025. This surge in fossil-fuel generation threatens the climate goals of major technology companies.

Data center gas plant construction

▪The adoption of bespoke natural-gas power plants by data center developers threatens to make it more difficult for United States technology companies to meet their climate goals.
▪Data center developers are turning to bespoke natural-gas power plants to meet energy demands, according to a Bloomberg News analysis published on August 18, 2026.
▪BloombergNEF is tracking 99 proposed natural-gas power plants designed to support data center infrastructure.

US power sector emissions impact

▪The entire United States electric power industry emitted approximately 1,485 million metric tons of carbon in 2025, according to Energy Information Administration data.
▪The proposed data center gas plants have the potential to increase United States power sector emissions by 20%, and up to 33% if the plants run at full capacity.
▪The 99 proposed data center gas plants tracked by BloombergNEF would emit approximately 318 million metric tons of carbon dioxide annually if run at industry-standard rates.