Counts, units, and denominators · updated 19 September 2026

There is no single honest count without a definition.

A campus, building, provider presence, planned project, and directory row are not the same thing. We publish each unit separately instead of manufacturing a census.

What DataCenterData publishes

83independently source-linked project or campus records
18independently source-linked facility or building records
1,593licensed third-party discovery rows across 50 states
50claim records with exact scope and evidence
These numbers must not be added.

They describe different populations and units. Licensed rows are broad discovery leads, not independently verified facilities. DataCenterData records answer narrower questions and show an evidence status per row.

Why public totals disagree

Directories may count buildings, campuses, colocation locations, network presences, announced projects, operating sites, or some mixture. They also update on different schedules and resolve duplicates differently. A larger total can reflect a broader definition rather than better coverage.

Project or campus
A development program or multi-building site. It may never become one operating facility.
Facility or building
A physical operating or proposed building when the source establishes that unit.
Provider presence
A service location or point of presence. It does not necessarily establish a distinct data-center building.
Municipal lead
A planning, permit, or development row that still needs identity and lifecycle reconciliation.
Licensed lead
A third-party directory row preserved for discovery, attribution, and follow-up. It is not promoted into reviewed counts automatically.

National electricity demand

Primary national estimates

192 TWh · 4.7% in 2024

The June 2026 LBNL update revised the historical modeled national estimate to 192 TWh in 2024, or 4.7% of U.S. electricity. Its reference case reaches 649 TWh in 2030, or 11.8%, with a compounded uncertainty range of 521–843 TWh. The earlier 2024 LBNL report estimated 176 TWh in 2023 and a 2028 scenario range of 325–580 TWh.

DOE-hosted 2025 update → · LBNL 2024 report → · LBNL publication record →

The update explicitly excludes cryptocurrency-mining electricity. Historical modeled estimates, a reference case, and scenario ranges are different quantities. These national models use a different population and methodology than the directory and are not joined to any facility count.

Our rule

Every displayed total names its unit, evidence layer, geography, and date. Unknown stays unknown. Planned and operating records are not silently added, and MW is not compared unless the measurement boundary is established.