Global Energy Monitor says the U.S. now leads China in gas-fired power capacity in development, driven by data centers and AI.
Why it matters: The shift signals a faster U.S. gas buildout as utilities and developers race to meet rising electricity demand. It also sharpens questions about emissions, fuel costs and ratepayer exposure as data centers expand.
- Global Energy Monitor says the U.S. now leads the world in gas-fired power capacity in development, ahead of China.
- GEM's January 2026 tracker put the U.S. at 252 GW of gas capacity in development versus 153 GW in China.
- The Guardian later reported U.S. gas-fired projects under construction rose 76% in the first half of 2026.
- GEM says more than one-third of U.S. gas-fired capacity in development is intended to directly power data centers on-site.
The U.S. is now ahead of China in gas-fired power capacity in development, according to Global Energy Monitor. The key distinction is that this measure covers projects planned or proposed, not plants already under construction.
That difference is central to the story. GEM's January 2026 tracker put the U.S. at 252 GW of gas capacity in development, compared with 153 GW in China. By contrast, China slightly led in capacity under construction at 30.9 GW, according to GEM. The Guardian later reported that U.S. projects under construction rose 76% in the first half of 2026 and said the U.S. total in development had reached 378 GW.
GEM says more than one-third of U.S. gas-fired capacity in development is slated to directly power data centers on-site, and Texas accounts for nearly a third of the buildout. A separate S&P Global report said power supplied to U.S. data centers nearly tripled since 2020 to 64.4 GW in 2025 and could reach 183 GW by 2030.
The broader backdrop is rising electricity demand. The IEA says global electricity demand is climbing quickly through 2030, with data centers among the drivers. The agency also says renewables are still expected to provide the largest share of global electricity generation by 2030.
By the numbers
- 252 GW - U.S. gas-fired capacity in development in GEM's January 2026 tracker
- 153 GW - China's gas-fired capacity in development in GEM's January 2026 tracker
- 30.9 GW - China's gas-fired capacity under construction, slightly ahead of the U.S. in GEM's January 2026 data
Yes, but: The headline lead comes from capacity in development, not plants already under construction, so the comparison depends on the measure used.