Analysts at Gartner, Inc. agree. “The explosive growth of new hyperscale data centers to implementgenerative AI (GenAI) is creating an insatiable demand for power that will exceed the ability of utility providers to expand their capacity fast enough,” said Bob Johnson, vice president analyst at Gartner. “In turn, this threatens to disrupt energy availability and lead to shortages, which will limit the growth of new data centers for GenAI and other uses from 2026.”

In response, utilities are reshaping their businesses. Georgia Power is addressing how data center growth impacts existing distribution networks. It is exploring opportunities to shift load to onsite substations to help data centers maximize profitability. Dominion Energy is exploring how grid-enhancing technologies (GETs) and dynamic line ratings can integrate with renewable energy sources. Oncor Energy is exploring strategic partnerships to help meet existing demand and future growth.

All three utilities will present insights, findings, and lessons learned in March at DISTRIBUTECH® (DTECH 2025), which will be held in Dallas. DTECH is the home for more than 20,000 of the world’s utility leaders and power grid technology providers to share innovations, network, and strategize.

DTECH 2025 takes place March 24-27 in Dallas, Texas at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center and will cover automation & control systems, energy efficiency, transmission & distribution, utility technology, and more. This event attracts professionals from electric utilities to enhance their knowledge of the transmission and distribution industry. Learn more at distributech.com.

Contact Mike Keating at Vertical, Incorporated to connect with John Engel and other energy transmission and distribution experts prior to DTECH.