NREL maps over 4,000 US data centers as AI buildout strains grid hubs
Anyone tracking where AI compute concentrates in the US now has a single picture: NREL has mapped over 4,000 data centers with the transmission and fiber routes feeding them. Loudoun County, Virginia leads with about 6,000 MW operating and 6,300 MW planned, per the lab.
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory has published a detailed map of US data center infrastructure as of late 2025. The map plots more than 4,000 sites alongside the high voltage transmission lines, fiber optic routes, and urban regions that connect them. Each cluster is shown with capacity sized to local megawatt totals, giving a single view of where computing load concentrates. According to the lab, Loudoun County, Virginia, long known as Data Center Alley, leads the country with about 6,000 megawatts already in service and another 6,300 megawatts in planning. Texas, California, and the rest of northern Virginia hold the next largest concentrations of capacity. The dataset was assembled by NREL cartographer Billy Roberts. It is intended for utilities, planners, and developers who need a geographic view of where new generation, transmission upgrades, and substation work may be required as artificial intelligence workloads continue to drive demand for data center capacity in the United States.