US AI Data Center Expansion Hits Snags: Nearly 40% of Projects May Miss Deadlines

Amid the AI wave, Silicon Valley in the US is investing hundreds of billions of dollars in building ultra-large data centers, but expansion plans face multiple obstacles. Latest satellite data shows nearly 40% of US data center projects may not be completed on schedule this year, including major projects by Microsoft, Oracle, and OpenAI, which are expected to be delayed by more than three months.

Delays stem mainly from labor shortages, insufficient power supply, and community resistance. Shortages of key workers like electricians hinder simultaneous project progress; power companies' generation and transmission capacity can't keep up with demand, and tariffs on Chinese transformers further increase costs. Additionally, residents in Virginia and other areas worry about land occupation and higher electricity bills, while Maine's legislature passed an 18-month moratorium on approving large data center projects.