As many as half of the world's data center projects slated to come online this year could face delays, according to a report issued Tuesday.
Why it matters: It's a sign of mounting collisions in the AI race — from power constraints and grid equipment shortages to rising community opposition.
The big picture: As tech giants sprint to build AI infrastructure, the physical — and political — limits of the power system are starting to bite.
State of play: Up to 11 gigawatts of 2026 capacity "remains in the announced stage with no signs of construction," per the report by Sightline Climate, a data intelligence firm.
- With typical build times of 12 to 18 months, that capacity could still come online — but only with dramatic acceleration, the report states.
Yes, but: Development is still surging despite growing hurdles. Data center additions hit a record in 2025, and 2026 is on track to surpass it, Olivia Wang, a Sightline research analyst, told Axios.
By the numbers: Nearly six gigawatts came online last year, and five gigawatts are already under construction this year. (One gigawatt can power about 1 million U.S. homes.)
- "While power continues to be a constraint, developers that locked in power and equipment contracts early are rapidly bringing capacity online," the report says.
Driving the news: With midterm elections heating up, communities are growing restless over rising power prices — which many blame on data centers that increasingly require city-scale electricity.
Zoom in: Sightline has tracked more than 10 new moratorium proposals in the past month alone in U.S. states.
- This includes New York, Michigan, Virginia and Oklahoma, Wang says.
- "We expect this trend to continue and meaningfully increase the risk of projects being delayed, withdrawn, and ultimately canceled," Wang wrote.
- The firm is tracking nine canceled projects in its database, so for now, most are facing delays, not outright cancellations.
Flashback: More than one-quarter of the 110 data center projects that were slated to come online last year were delayed.
What we're watching: Whether high-profile cancellations rise along with the wave of moratorium efforts.
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