More than 100 UK datacentres plan to burn gas to generate electricity
More than 100 datacentres in the UK are planning to use gas for electricity generation due to delays in connecting to the National Grid. This shift raises concerns about the impact on the UK's climate targets, as the demand for gas connections has surged. Officials acknowledge that reliance on fossil fuels for powering datacentres is becoming more common as developers seek alternative energy sources.
- ▪Over 100 UK datacentres plan to burn gas for electricity generation.
- ▪Requests for gas connections from datacentre operators amount to over 15 terawatt hours per year.
- ▪The reliance on gas power could complicate Britain's climate goals and the Clean Power 2030 target.
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There are 100GW of datacentre projects in the queue to connect to the National Grid, said Stuart Okin, the director of cyber regulation and AI at Ofgem. Photograph: Arctic-Images/Getty ImagesView image in fullscreenThere are 100GW of datacentre projects in the queue to connect to the National Grid, said Stuart Okin, the director of cyber regulation and AI at Ofgem. Photograph: Arctic-Images/Getty ImagesGasMore than 100 UK datacentres plan to burn gas to generate electricityRequests for gas connections by operators amount to more than 15 terawatt hours per year, endangering climate targetsAisha DownMon 18 May 2026 00.00 EDTSharePrefer the Guardian on GoogleMore than 100 new datacentres in the UK plan to burn gas to generate electricity, some potentially doing so permanently.British…
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