Yahoo Financeยท2025-09-23 16:44Core Viewpoint - The surge in interest for gas connections by tech companies is driven by significant delays in connecting to the electricity grid, with wait times reaching up to 15 years, prompting a shift towards gas as a power source for data centres [1][2][3]. Group 1: Industry Trends - There has been a notable increase in connection requests to gas networks, with 86 inquiries reported in the past year, primarily from data centres driven by AI demands [1][2]. - The trade group Future Energy Networks indicates that connecting to gas is significantly faster, typically taking six months to a year, compared to the lengthy electricity grid connection process [2][4]. - The UK government aims for a 95% clean electricity system by 2030, but the rising reliance on gas for data centres could undermine these environmental goals [3][5]. Group 2: Company Actions - Major tech companies, including Google and Microsoft, have committed to investing billions in building data centres in the UK, which has intensified the demand for energy connections [5][6]. - Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, emphasized the necessity of gas to support the new wave of data centres, highlighting the need for diverse energy sources including sustainable options like nuclear, wind, and solar [6][7]. - The letter from Future Energy Networks stresses the importance of realistic energy planning to accommodate the growing demand from AI and tech sectors [5].