China's computing power electricity use projected to hit 800 billion kWh by 2030

At the 2026 Energy Green Development Conference on Sept. 16, the China Electricity Council (CEC) disclosed that the country's internet data service electricity consumption exceeded 60 billion kWh so far this year, up more than 40% year-on-year and already surpassing the full-year level of 2024.

CEC supervisor Pan Yuelong projected that during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030), computing power electricity use will grow by more than 100 billion kWh annually, reaching 800 billion kWh by 2030, accounting for about 6% of total social electricity consumption. In comparison, China's computing power centers consumed about 170 billion kWh in 2025, according to the National Energy Administration.

The projections highlight the growing energy demands of AI infrastructure. The International Energy Agency has estimated global data center electricity use could reach about 945 TWh by 2030, while China's computing power alone is expected to approach 800 billion kWh.