Electricity demand from datacenters is helping drive a new wave of fossil fuel pipeline construction across the United States, according to a review of federal records by the Environmental Integrity Project, a watchdog group, as reported by the Guardian. The review counts nearly 200 pipeline projects proposed or already under way, together totaling about 17,000 miles, or roughly 27,000 kilometers.
The expansion is happening at the same time the Trump administration has moved to weaken pipeline safety and environmental regulations. Critics argue that the loosening of oversight makes it easier for developers to move projects forward while communities and regulators have less leverage to question them. The Guardian's reporting draws on government records as its primary evidence for the scale of the build-out.
Demand for natural gas is a second driver alongside datacenters. Growing export markets for American gas, which the report links to the wars in Ukraine and Iran, are pushing developers to add capacity. Taken together, the power needs of computing facilities and overseas demand for fuel are shaping a large infrastructure push.
It remains uncertain how many of these projects will actually be completed. Proposals at this stage do not guarantee construction, and some may be delayed, reduced or abandoned as costs, approvals and market conditions change.