Technology

Microsoft and Amazon Race to Lock Up Power for AI Data Centers

The two cloud giants are committing to multi-decade nuclear and renewable-energy deals as AI training demand strains grid capacity in North America.

By Dina Bass·Apr 18, 2026·6 min read·1d ago

A scramble for reliable, clean power is reshaping the economics of the cloud computing industry, as Microsoft and Amazon sign long-duration supply deals to ensure they can keep building AI data centers.

The contracts — some running 20 years or longer — are pushing utilities to expand nuclear capacity in Pennsylvania, Virginia and Texas, while accelerating wind and solar procurement across the Southwest.

“This is no longer a nice-to-have story,” said Rene Haas, chief executive of Arm Holdings. “Power is the new constraint on compute.”

CloudEnergyAI

More Top Stories

See all →