Summary - Energy Needs of Data Centers West. Online registration by Cvent

The Western US is in the midst of a data center boom. From California’s innovation hubs to the fast-growing tech corridors of Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington, rising power demand is placing increasing strain on the region’s energy infrastructure, creating an urgent need for solutions that are reliable, sustainable, and resilient.

Despite abundant renewable resources—from solar in California and Arizona, to hydro in the Pacific Northwest, and growing wind capacity across the region—the real challenge lies in delivering power to data centers reliably, 24/7. Interconnection backlogs, constrained transmission networks, and lengthy permitting timelines are testing the limits of existing infrastructure. The pace of data center expansion, especially AI-driven multi-gigawatt (GW) clusters, far exceeds the grid’s current capacity to respond. Modernizing and expanding transmission and distribution systems is essential, but it is costly and time intensive. Delivering reliable, sustainable, and cost-effective energy to support the region’s rapidly growing data centers remains one of the West’s most pressing challenges for policymakers, developers, and utilities.

At the same time, the surge in Western data center development presents unique opportunities for innovation. Onsite and near-site solutions, such as microgrids, hybrid solar-wind-storage systems, virtual power plants, and thermal storage, are redefining energy strategies. Advanced energy management, AI-optimized operations, and forward-looking infrastructure planning are essential to enabling high-performance, future-ready facilities in the West.

In response to these trends, Global Transmission is organizing Energy Needs of Data Centers West conference, taking place July 30, 2026, in San Jose, California. This one-day conference will bring together leading experts from data center operators, utilities, technology providers, and energy innovators to examine the critical challenges and opportunities driving the West’s data center growth. With a focus on sustainability, resilience, and innovation, the event will explore regional energy demand forecasts, grid readiness, policy and regulatory considerations, and solutions to power the West’s digital future.