AI Data Centers Now Consume ~176 TWh Annually (4.4% of U.S. Electricity) — Projected to Double to Triple by 2028

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and Belfer Center data confirm that data center electricity demand will grow from 176 TWh (2023) to 325-580 TWh by 2028. Virginia — the densest data center market in the world — is under the most acute grid pressure. Virginia's concentration of demand is compressing planning timelines and raising questions about grid interconnection for new federal facilities in the Ashburn-Manassas corridor. Federal agencies competing for power capacity against hyperscalers face a structural disadvantage without dedicated power contracts.