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Energy: Artificial Intelligence

Asked by Freddie van MierloLiberal DemocratDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled Answered 25 March 2026UIN 121590

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate he has made of future energy requirements for AI; and what steps he is taking to meet those requirements.

Answered by Michael Shanks

The Department’s energy and emissions projections include growth in power demand from computing services like data centres. To ensure a comprehensive view of the system, the methodology projects at a broader sector level, not disaggregating specific estimates for data centres.

The Government is committed to ensuring electricity networks can meet rising electricity demand, including from data centres, by deploying new renewable and low-carbon generation in line with the Clean Power 2030 Action Plan. The Capacity Market ensures supply continuously meets demand, balancing cost and reliability to maintain adequate electricity security.

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