Summary - Energy Needs of Data Centres UK 2026 (2nd Annual Conference). Online registration by Cvent

Background and Mission

Strong hyperscale commitments and national AI targets have positioned the UK as a major destination for data centre investment. As the pipeline of projects grows, access to sufficient and competitively priced electricity has become the principal bottleneck to translating that ambition into built capacity.

Grid constraints have intensified and industrial electricity prices are more than four times those of the US and Nordic countries. The availability and price of electricity are now the primary determinants of site selection, capital allocation, and project viability across the sector.

Since the first edition in November 2025, when we convened to examine the energy challenges facing the UK’s data centre sector, the discussion has moved from urgent to critical. Policy and regulatory responses have accelerated, alongside emerging industry initiatives to develop solutions.

The government has already designated five AI Growth Zones, South Wales, North Wales, North East, Oxfordshire (Culham), and Lanarkshire. Ofgem and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) are implementing three-pillar grid connection reforms, titled Curate, Plan, Connect, to manage the surge in connection requests. The framework targets removal of speculative projects, prioritisation of strategic AI demand, and faster connection for ready-to-build sites. Targeted electricity price support in constrained regions is also under development.

Meanwhile, data centre developers are adopting hybrid strategies that combine grid supply, on-site generation, storage, and flexible demand. Recent National Grid trials indicate that data centres running AI training workloads can significantly reduce energy use during peak grid stress, indicating a future where they support grid stability rather than simply consume power.

This is the context for our second edition, scheduled to take place on November 26, 2026, at Park Plaza London Riverbank. Investment momentum is strong and policy is evolving. Decisions made today – on energy sourcing, infrastructure design, and site selection – will define the UK’s data centre sector in the coming decade.

The conference will bring together the operators, developers, utilities, policymakers, and investors to address challenges and identify solutions to support the UK’s digital infrastructure expansion.