UK data centres consumed around 5 terawatt hours of electricity in 2025, about 2 percent of total demand, but NESO expects this to rise to around 22 terawatt hours by 2030. This growth will require significant grid investment, but any effect on energy bills is indirect and uncertain.
TL;DR · LAST REVIEWED 24 AUGUST 2026
- Data centres used about 5 TWh in 2025, 2% of UK demand.
- NESO projects consumption to reach around 22 TWh by 2030.
- Grid connection queues have tripled, with some waits until 2037.
- Most data centres are in London and the South East.
- New planning rules apply to major data centres from January 2026.
KEY FACTS
- Data centres consumed around 5 terawatt hours in 2025, about 2% of UK electricity demand.
- NESO expects data centre consumption to rise to around 22 terawatt hours by 2030.
- Oxford Economics forecasts demand could reach 26.2 terawatt hours by 2030, about 8.8% of total.
- The electricity demand queue rose from 41 to 125 gigawatts between November 2024 and June 2025.
- Peak Great Britain electricity demand on 11 February 2026 was around 45 gigawatts.
This article explains a developing infrastructure trend. The link between data centre growth and household or business bills is indirect and uncertain, working through grid investment and network charges rather than a direct surcharge. Figures are forecasts and will change as new data is published.
How much electricity do UK data centres use
Data centres in the UK consumed an estimated 5 terawatt hours of electricity in 2025, equivalent to roughly 2 percent of total national demand. This is a modest but rapidly expanding share, driven primarily by the growth of artificial intelligence and cloud computing services.
The National Energy System Operator (NESO) estimates that data centres used around 5 terawatt hours of electricity in 2025. This represents approximately 2 percent of the UK's total electricity consumption. While this is a relatively small proportion of national demand, the trajectory of growth is steep.
The expansion is largely attributed to the increasing computational demands of artificial intelligence applications and the continued migration of services to cloud platforms. These technologies require significant energy to power servers and the cooling systems that keep them operational.
What the forecasts show for 2030
Forecasts for the end of the decade indicate a substantial increase in electricity consumption from data centres. NESO projects annual consumption could rise to around 22 terawatt hours by 2030, while Oxford Economics estimates a higher figure of 26.2 terawatt hours, which would represent approximately 8.8 percent of UK electricity demand.
NESO expects annual data centre electricity consumption to rise to approximately 22 terawatt hours by 2030. This represents a more than fourfold increase from the 2025 estimate.
Oxford Economics offers a more aggressive forecast, suggesting data centre demand could reach 26.2 terawatt hours by 2030. This would equate to about 8.8 percent of total UK electricity demand, a significant jump from the current share.
The wide variation in forecasts reflects uncertainty around utilisation rates, the pace of project completion, and the efficiency gains that may be achieved in data centre operations.
Why the grid is the real bottleneck
The primary constraint on data centre growth is not the availability of electricity generation, but the capacity of the grid to connect new demand. The queue for grid connections has ballooned, with some developers being offered connection dates in 2037 or later.
The challenge facing the UK's electricity grid is not solely about generating enough power, but about physically connecting new, large-scale demand to the network. The process for securing a grid connection has become a significant hurdle.
Ofgem has reported that the total contracted offers in the electricity demand queue rose dramatically from 41 gigawatts in November 2024 to 125 gigawatts by June 2025. For context, peak electricity demand in Great Britain was around 45 gigawatts in February 2026.
This surge in connection requests has led to long queues, with some developers being offered connection dates in 2037 or beyond. This creates significant uncertainty for projects that require certainty on power availability to proceed.
Could this affect business energy bills
Business electricity bills are composed of more than just the wholesale price of power, and rising network costs could put upward pressure on bills. Non-commodity charges are forecast to make up close to 60 percent of a typical business bill by 2026.
Business electricity bills are made up of several components, including network charges for using the transmission and distribution systems, balancing costs, and policy costs, in addition to the wholesale unit rate for the electricity itself.
Cornwall Insight has forecast that non-commodity charges could account for close to 60 percent of a typical business electricity bill by 2026, driven partly by rising transmission costs. If data centre growth adds pressure to the need for investment in transmission and distribution infrastructure, some of that cost could potentially feed through to network charges over time.
However, the size and timing of any such impact on business bills remain uncertain, as it depends on how network investment is funded and apportioned.
What is changing in planning and policy
New Regulations that came into force in January 2026 have brought major data centre developments within the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects planning regime. This routes large projects through a national consenting process rather than relying on local planning decisions alone.
On 8 January 2026, new Regulations brought major data centre developments within the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects planning regime. This is a significant policy shift that changes how large-scale data centres are consented.
Previously, such projects would typically go through the local planning process. Under the new regime, they will be routed through a national consenting process, which is intended to provide a more streamlined and strategic approach to approving infrastructure of national importance.
In addition to planning changes, NESO is also reforming the grid connection process. The aim is to prioritise viable projects and manage the queue more effectively, which could help reduce the delays currently being experienced by developers.
RELATED GUIDES
DISCLAIMER
This article is for general information only and does not constitute financial or energy-procurement advice. Energy forecasts are uncertain; check NESO, Ofgem or your supplier for the latest position.
Frequently asked questions
How much electricity do UK data centres use?
NESO estimates UK data centres used around 5 terawatt hours in 2025, about 2 percent of total UK electricity demand, and expects this to rise to around 22 terawatt hours by 2030.
Will data centres make my energy bill go up?
There is no direct data centre surcharge on bills. Any effect would be indirect, through grid investment and network charges, and the size and timing are uncertain.
Why are grid connections such a problem?
Ofgem reported the electricity demand connection queue rose from 41 to 125 gigawatts between late 2024 and mid 2025, and some developers have been offered connection dates in 2037 or later.
Where are most UK data centres located?
The large majority of UK data centre capacity is in London and the South East, which concentrates grid and connection pressure in that region.
What has the government changed?
From January 2026, new Regulations brought major data centre developments into the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects planning regime, routing large projects through a national consenting process.
SOURCES
- National Energy System Operator (NESO) – accessed 2026-08-24
- Ofgem: energy regulation – accessed 2026-08-24
- GOV.UK: Department for Energy Security and Net Zero – accessed 2026-08-24
- legislation.gov.uk: Infrastructure Planning Regulations 2026 – accessed 2026-08-24
