The National Data Center Resource Library

Federal data, national labs and the grid

What federal agencies, national laboratories and grid reliability bodies have published on data center electricity demand, reliability and costs.

All five collections Council briefings

A sample from this collection

A few sources to start with.

National laboratory energy data

United States Data Center Energy Usage Report: 2025 Update ↗

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, sponsored by U.S. Department of Energy (record hosted by DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information, OSTI) · 18 June 2026 (Technical Report date on OSTI record) · Report

This 2025 Update of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's national estimate of data center electricity use updates the 2024 report. The OSTI abstract says it updates the 2024 report, extends the projection horizon to 2030, and gives a central estimate plus a scenario range. The record lists LBNL authors (Smith, Hubbard, Newkirk, Ganeshalingam, Holecek, Sartor, Mills, Shehabi), report number LBNL-2001758 and DOI 10.71468/P1RP4F. The report itself says it uses new sensitivity scenarios and a bottom-up model built on data center equipment shipments.

  • “This report updates the 2024 Data Center Energy Usage Report (2024 Report) and estimates that data centers could account for 11.8% of total U.S. electricity by 2030.”
  • “The estimate also includes a range of scenarios that indicate the energy use could be between 9.5 and 15.3% of total U.S. electricity use by 2030.”
  • “In comparison, the 2024 Report estimate range was 6.7% to 12.0% of total U.S. electricity by 2028.”

Who should read it: Planning staff, council and commission members, economic development staff, utility regulators, anyone citing a national data center electricity number

Limitations: The estimates come from a model of projected data center equipment shipments, with a central estimate and a scenario range rather than a single forecast.

Cite as: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, sponsored by U.S. Department of Energy (record hosted by DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information, OSTI). “United States Data Center Energy Usage Report: 2025 Update.” 18 June 2026 (Technical Report date on OSTI record). https://www.osti.gov/biblio/3374245

Federal energy policy and programs

DOE Releases New Report Evaluating Increase in Electricity Demand from Data Centers ↗

U.S. Department of Energy · December 20, 2024 · Web page

DOE's announcement of the 2024 LBNL report restates its headline numbers for 2014, 2023 and 2028. It then lists DOE's strategies for meeting data center demand, starting with data center flexibility through onsite generation and storage. It frames data center growth alongside manufacturing and electrification as drivers of rising U.S. demand.

  • “The report estimates that data center load growth has tripled over the past decade and is projected to double or triple by 2028.”
  • “The report finds that data centers consumed about 4.4% of total U.S. electricity in 2023 and are expected to consume approximately 6.7 to 12% of total U.S. electricity by 2028.”
  • “Enabling data center flexibility through onsite power generation and storage solutions, including the Industrial Efficiency and Decarbonization Office’s Onsite Energy Program and new Industrial Energy Storage Systems Prize, so data centers can be a grid asset rather than a burden.”

Who should read it: Elected officials and communications staff who want DOE's plain-language summary

Cite as: U.S. Department of Energy. “DOE Releases New Report Evaluating Increase in Electricity Demand from Data Centers.” December 20, 2024. https://www.energy.gov/articles/doe-releases-new-report-evaluating-increase-electricity-demand-data-centers

Federal grid regulation (FERC)

Interconnection of Large Loads to the Interstate Transmission System (Docket No. RM26-4-000) ↗

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) · docket page, last updated July 22, 2026 (docket opened after the Secretary of Energy's October 23, 2025 direction) · Docket

FERC's public page for the large-load interconnection rulemaking that DOE initiated under section 403. It explains what an ANOPR is, lists who may be interested (including communities affected by data center development), and sets out the DOE principles FERC sought comment on: faster studies for loads that agree to be flexible, who pays for grid upgrades, how to judge reliability when an existing plant partially shuts down to serve a new large customer at the same location, and how to implement the changes. It explains how to file comments and how FERC's Office of Public Participation can help.

  • “Communities affected by data center or transmission development”
  • “Whether large loads and co-located facilities should pay the full cost of any grid upgrades needed for their interconnection, and whether those costs should be credited back over time, and if so, over what period.”
  • “An ANOPR is an early step in the rulemaking process that allows FERC to gather input before deciding whether to propose specific regulatory changes.”
  • “The Office of Public Participation (OPP) supports meaningful public engagement in FERC proceedings and can help you navigate FERC processes and filings.”

Who should read it: City attorneys, utility regulators, council members who want to file comments, community engagement staff

Cite as: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). “Interconnection of Large Loads to the Interstate Transmission System (Docket No. RM26-4-000).” Docket page, last updated July 22, 2026 (docket opened after the Secretary of Energy's October 23, 2025 direction). https://www.ferc.gov/rm26-4

The full library

The full library comes with The Nash Group Data Center Briefing.

This page shows a sample. The full collection, with every source, the state-by-state index and the spreadsheet, is held for paid subscribers. The free list includes the monthly headlines digest, one full sample issue and this library sample.

See the plans

by Dr. Troy Nash

Every two weeks: what changed for data centers across the country, and what it means. Each plan, and what it includes, is listed on the briefing page.

About this library

Why we put this together.

When a data center shows up on an agenda, the questions come fast, and the answers are scattered across federal reports, utility filings, state bills and local ordinances. We wanted one place a council member, a planner or a neighbor could start. We read what we list, and if we only got through part of a long report, we tell you which part. If something sat behind a paywall or the link was dead, we left it out.

Each entry includes

  1. Who published it, when, and a link.
  2. A short description of what it covers.
  3. Quotes taken directly from the source.
  4. Who should read it.
  5. Its limits, including who paid for it.
  6. A citation for your staff report.

We update the library as new information becomes available. No one paid to be listed, and government, industry and advocacy sources sit side by side, each one labeled.

Is a data center coming to your community?

If you want an independent read before the first hearing, we can help.

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