A recent analysis by an environmental organization identifies 74 planned natural gas power plants in the United States that are intended to provide electricity directly to data centers, rather than connecting to the broader electric grid. The group estimates the projects would together represent about 143 gigawatts of generation capacity and produce roughly 662 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions each year.
These projects are commonly described as off-grid or "behind the meter" installations. The report notes that such developments are securing approvals across the country unusually quickly, often with limited public visibility. A separate review of regulatory filings and interviews with public officials, residents, researchers and industry executives found that by avoiding the interconnection process used for grid-tied plants, many of these projects are not subject to the same federal regulatory hurdles and can progress from proposal to construction in weeks or months rather than in the years typically required.
Developers of the off-grid plants argue that because the facilities are built to serve private customers directly, they are exempt from a number of the rules and procedures that apply to projects seeking to connect to the U.S. electric grid. The environmental group’s report emphasizes that the cumulative greenhouse gas footprint of the 74 facilities would rival the annual emissions of major economies, and raises concerns about the local public health implications linked to emissions of pollutants such as nitrogen oxides (NOx) and benzene.
"An industry of the future should not be chained to dirty fuels of the past and the air pollution from fossil fuels that cause real harm to communities," said Jen Duggan, executive director of the Environmental Integrity Project.
Geographically, the projects identified are concentrated in several states. Nearly half of the 74 plants are slated for Texas. Other states with multiple planned facilities include Ohio with 10 projects, Pennsylvania with six and West Virginia with four.
Federal officials from the previous administration have continued to advocate for accelerated data center construction, framing rapid development and streamlined permitting as matters of national security and economic competitiveness. Some administration figures have taken steps intended to reduce barriers to building and powering data center infrastructure.
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin commented on the broader policy context, saying that many Americans would support efforts to ensure the United States prevails in competition to become the global hub for artificial intelligence. At the same time, public sentiment appears divided: a recent Ipsos poll conducted last month indicated that only about one in three Americans approve of the fast pace of data center construction, a topic that has been prominent in political conversations ahead of the November 3 midterm elections.
The findings in the environmental group’s report spotlight a tension between the rapid growth of the data center sector and the regulatory framework that governs large-scale power generation. By moving outside the conventional grid interconnection route, proponents say projects can meet urgent customer demand without lengthy delays. Critics point to the report’s emissions estimates and public health warnings to argue that the approach shifts environmental and health burdens to local communities while producing greenhouse gas emissions at a scale that matters for national climate targets.
The report’s authors and advocates are urging greater scrutiny of the permitting and approval processes that allow such facilities to proceed, while developers maintain the legal basis for treating private, behind-the-meter projects differently from grid-connected power plants. The debate highlights competing priorities: supporting data center expansion quickly, and ensuring environmental protections and community health safeguards are maintained.
At present, the list of projects, the emissions estimates and the geographic distribution provided in the report form the basis for ongoing scrutiny from policymakers, community groups and regulators as the pace of data center-related power development accelerates.