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Environment
May 18, 2026
Analyzed by GPT OSS 120B

UK Datacentres Turn to Gas Power Amid Grid Bottlenecks

AI Summary
More than 100 UK datacentres are seeking gas connections to run on‑site generators as grid delays force them to consider permanent fossil‑fuel power. The move raises serious questions for the UK’s Clean Power 2030 targets and could reshape energy policy for AI‑driven facilities.

The Lead

Over 100 new datacentres in the United Kingdom are planning to burn natural gas to generate electricity, with some projects eyeing permanent on‑site generation as a workaround for prolonged grid‑connection delays.

The Surge in UK Datacentre Gas Requests

Stuart Okin, director of cyber regulation and AI at Ofgem, warned that “there’s 100GW of datacentre projects in the queue” and not all can be linked to the National Grid. Developers therefore “have to come up with an alternative method”.

Silvia Simon, head of research at Future Energy Networks, confirmed the firm has received “more than 100” gas‑connection requests in the past two years, many asking for up to 100MW of continuous gas power.

  • Requests total > 15 TWh of energy per year – enough to power London for roughly four and a half months.
  • Projects represent a combined 100GW of planned capacity.

The Energy Demand Numbers

The scale of the demand translates into a substantial carbon footprint if supplied by unabated gas. In the United States, similar off‑grid gas generators are projected to emit more CO₂ than the entire nation of Morocco.

The Climate and Grid Implications

Julian Leslie, director of strategic planning at the UK’s National Energy System Operator (Neso), said the build‑out could jeopardise the Clean Power 2030 goal of keeping unabated gas below 5 % of electricity supply.

Eleanor Warburton of Ofgem added that the rapid growth of AI‑driven datacentres is “affecting many aspects of life including energy”, prompting a review of demand‑connection reforms.

Environmental groups, such as Action to Protect Rural Scotland (APRS) led by Kat Jones, argue the rush ignores decades of climate science and risks “climate breakdown”.

The Path Forward for Policy and AI Infrastructure

Government and regulators are considering prioritising strategic connections for AI projects while accelerating reforms to speed up viable grid links. If permanent gas generation becomes the norm, further policy measures – possibly including carbon‑pricing or mandatory emissions reporting – may be required to keep the UK on track for its net‑zero commitments.