Growth of data centers and AI puts pressure on Brazil’s energy planning

Training artificial intelligence models and operating AI systems requires a huge number of computers, which are installed in data centers that need a constant supply of electricity. Although the impact is still small compared to the country’s total consumption, the speed at which these structures are expanding has already come under the radar of those responsible for national energy planning.

The Ministry of Mines and Energy and the Energy Research Company (EPE) project that Brazilian electricity consumption will reach 939 TWh in 2035, in the reference scenario, with an average growth rate of 3.3% per year. For the first time, the study includes a specific analysis of large loads, such as data centers, electromobility, and hydrogen production. Depending on the scenario, these special loads could account for between 1.2% and 12.9% of the projected demand for 2035.

Why does AI consume so much energy?

Artificial intelligence relies on specialized chips to perform a huge volume of calculations. The greater the computational capacity used, the greater the need for electricity. There is also another significant consumption factor: equipment cooling. The International Energy Agency estimates that global electricity consumption by data centers could reach around 1,000 TWh in 2026 in the highest demand scenario, with AI expansion being one of the factors driving this growth.

Who bears the costs of expansion?

The answer varies according to the structure of each project. Part of the costs is directly linked to the consumer who connects to the network. The rules of the National Electric Energy Agency (ANEEL) establish that connection charges are the responsibility of users and cover expenses such as design, equipment, operation, and maintenance.

In addition, there are the general costs of the electricity system: consumers’ electricity bills include generation, transmission, distribution, sectoral charges, and taxes. Network expansion works may involve different remuneration mechanisms and should not be treated as an expense exclusive to data centers. The issue is gaining relevance because the number of projects under analysis is large. In 2025, EPE recorded a significant increase in connection requests from data centers and began monitoring these loads to size transmission expansion.

Will Brazil have enough energy?

The country starts from a particular situation: its electricity matrix has a high share of renewable sources, which can be an attraction for companies that need to reduce the carbon intensity of their operations. However, producing energy is not enough—it is also necessary to be able to deliver it to where the large consumers are.

EPE is already studying reinforcements to meet electro-intensive loads. In Ceará and Piauí, for example, a transmission solution has been proposed that could enable up to 4 GW of additional capacity for projects such as data centers and hydrogen plants from 2032. The challenge involves building generation, transmission, and connections capable of keeping up with a demand that can grow rapidly. For Brazil, the expansion of data centers represents both an investment opportunity and an additional pressure on the planning of the electricity system.