Power Hungry: Data Centre Energy Use Set to Skyrocket

Power hungry: data centre energy use set to skyrocket

Artificial intelligence is set to make a major impact on Australia's electricity network, with a report warning about soaring demand from data centres.

Data centre build and renewables delays put squeeze on power grid

Data centre power demands and ongoing renewables delays could threaten Australia’s ability to keep the lights on over the next decade.

Data centre pipeline doubles as national power use to rise

The number of Australian data centres in development has doubled since 2025, as the energy market operator assesses whether there is enough electricity to meet demand.

AEMO predicts seven-fold rise in data centre power use over next decade

Key points AEMO forecasts data centre electricity consumption will grow seven-fold over the next decade, from 5 TWh currently to around 34 TWh. The 2026 forecast is based on 225 known data centre projects, though more than 40 percent since 2025 have dropped out or regressed in connection status. New standards for energy and water consumption by data centres could be agreed federally as early as Wednesday, though state sign-up remains unclear. …