Silicon Valley is building a shadow power grid for data centers across the U.S.

February 19, 2026

(Washington Post) – Tech companies are building data centers with their own private power plants, a risky bet that will increase carbon emissions and other pollution.

After the rapid growth of data centers triggered pushback from politicians, utilities and local residents over the pressures they place on the grid, tech companies are now building their own fleet of private power plants, mostly fueled by natural gas. (Read More)