A new analysis from Environment America Research and Policy Center finds that planned US gas generator capacity is set to jump 44 percent by 2030, adding nearly 20 gigawatts. That expansion would bring total capacity to over 60 GW and comes as planned wind farm capacity has dropped 34 percent since December 2025. The report points to surging electricity demand from AI data centers as the main driver. The numbers matter for anyone watching carbon markets or grid decarbonization. Gas plants built now are likely to operate for decades, locking in emissions even if renewable deployment accelerates later. The analysis also excludes gas turbines connected directly to data center facilities, so the real fossil fuel buildout could be larger than the headline figures suggest.
