UK Datacentre Grid Queue Hits 73GW — 30GW Above National Peak Demand

Ofgem reports 315 datacentre projects seeking UK grid connections, totaling 73GW of demand — nearly 30GW above the UK's entire peak energy demand of 45GW. The queue has grown from 140 projects (50GW) since February 2026. Average wait times reach 8–10 years. Ofgem has proposed upfront commitment fees and "hard milestones" to filter out speculative projects, pending consultation.