Energy: Data Centres
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to Answer of 19 June 2026 to Question 8970, what discussions he has had with the National Energy System Operator on the impact of AI-capable data centres on future electricity demand.
Answered by Michael Shanks
The Department is engaging with the National Energy System Operator (NESO) on methodologies for understanding demand, and how different scenarios for data centre capacity, efficiency, utilisation and ramp-up rate translate into varying annual electricity consumption. It is working with NESO and Ofgem to manage such scenarios through demand connections reform.
The Secretary of State and I regularly engage with NESO on a range of subjects, including energy demand. Through the AI Energy Council, I continue to discuss the energy demands of AI with NESO and with the energy and technology industries.
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