Dozens of planned gas plants to directly power data centers in the United States could emit as much greenhouse gas annually as Australia or France, according to a report by an environmental group published on Wednesday.
The Environmental Integrity Project reviewed 74 gas-fired U.S. power plant projects proposed or planned to provide electricity directly to data centers, which would sidestep the process to connect to the U.S. electric grid. It estimated that they would generate 143 gigawatts of electricity and result in 662 million tons per year of greenhouse gas emissions. Off-grid, or "behind the meter" power projects are winning rapid approval across the U.S., often under cover of secrecy, to supply the tech industry's booming demand for powering data centers, according to a Reuters review of regulatory filings and interviews with public officials, residents, researchers and company executives.
