AI Needs Computing Power. Data Centres Need Reliable Electrical Power.

Artificial intelligence is moving fast. And behind every AI model, application and prompt is an infrastructure that needs something very real: electricity.

The scale is already significant. Data centres consumed around 415 TWh of electricity globally in 2024. The International Energy Agency expects this to more than double to around 945 TWh by 2030, with AI being a major driver of that growth.

But the challenge for data centres isn’t only about having more power.

It’s about managing power that is becoming more dynamic.

AI Is Changing the Power Load

AI workloads rely heavily on high-performance GPUs. When large numbers of GPUs operate together, their power demand can rise and fall rapidly.

According to Uptime Institute, large AI clusters can experience power swings of more than 100% in some configurations, with changes happening within milliseconds. At rack level, newer AI systems can push power demand well beyond what traditional data-centre infrastructure was designed around.

That puts a new demand on the electrical system.

It needs to respond to changing loads while maintaining voltage stability, power quality and reliable operation.

Reliable Power Means More Than No Outages

For a data centre, keeping the power on is only the starting point.

Harmonics, voltage fluctuations and reactive power can affect electrical equipment, increase losses and impact overall system performance.

As AI makes computing loads more concentrated and dynamic, power quality becomes an increasingly important part of data-centre reliability.

This is where understanding the electrical system becomes critical.

Designing Power Systems for What Comes Next

There is no one-size-fits-all solution.

It starts with analysing the system, understanding the load and identifying where the electrical challenges originate. Depending on the requirement, technologies such as STATCOM/SVG systems, Active Harmonic Filters and reactive power compensation can then be used to improve stability and power quality.

This is where Clariant Power brings its expertise.

With 5+ GVAR of installed reactive power solutions, Clariant Power works across power quality, reactive power compensation, grid stability and energy efficiency, helping industries build electrical systems that can respond to changing demands.

Because AI may need more computing power.

But the computing power is only as reliable as the electrical power supporting it.

And as AI continues to scale, reliable power will be what keeps that intelligence running.