Unlocking Data Center Development Through Behind-the-Meter Power
Data centers have quickly become a strategic priority for the U.S. economy. As AI, cloud computing, and digital business operations accelerate, the facilities that support them are being asked to scale at an unprecedented pace. But that growth depends on one increasingly constrained resource: power.
Access to power is becoming more urgent as investment accelerates. A recent McKinsey report points to enormous long-term investment in data center infrastructure, with spending expected to reach $7 trillion by 2030. With such strong investment through the end of the decade and beyond, it’s becoming clear that financing is not the biggest hurdle to jump before data center campuses can be brought online. Access to reliable power, and the ability to bring that power online quickly, is the critical factor determining successful data center projects. Owners and developers need to think about how much power a campus will need, but more importantly, how quickly that power can be secured and brought online.
With the merger of Pond and ENERCON, data center clients gain access to a highly experienced team that understands both sides of the equation: designing the facility and developing the power strategy behind it. Our behind-the-meter generation and interconnection expertise can help unlock projects in markets where power availability is becoming the constraint that matters most.
Understanding The Power Bottleneck
The power bottleneck is often framed as a capacity problem, but for data centers in particular, the biggest challenge is figuring out how that power can be delivered to a specific site exactly when it’s needed. That distinction is critical because new generation capacity may be available on paper, but the ability to use it depends on a much longer delivery chain.
Large campuses can require hundreds of megawatts of “on demand” power, often on development schedules that move far faster than what the grid was historically designed to handle. This means a market may appear attractive because it has generation, land, or other advantages, but those factors do not guarantee that power can be interconnected when the project needs it.
The regulatory environment is also a large part of the equation. In response to tariffs imposed on large load consumers, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has directed all six grid operators to justify or revise tariffs governing data centers and other large energy users. The goal is to speed up the connection to power, while still protecting ratepayers.
Even with strong investment momentum and favorable policies across the utility sector, bringing new infrastructure online takes time. Large-load customers entering the market today may face timelines for transmission and distribution upgrades that extend well beyond their target start dates. In response, developers and hyperscalers are looking to use supplemental power strategies that can help bring them online as quickly as possible.
Behind-the-Meter = Speed-to-Market
Speed-to-market is one of the most important competitive advantages in the data center industry. Every month of delay can impact revenue generation, customer commitments, and market positioning. In turn, behind-the-meter (BTM) power has quickly become an attractive option for data center developers seeking greater control over project timelines and faster grid connection.
The appeal is straightforward: facilities with dedicated on-site generation may reduce dependence on constrained grid infrastructure and potentially accelerate access to power. Similar strategies are now being explored across the industry, including by developers and major technology companies pursuing dedicated generation resources to support future growth.
However, behind-the-meter power is not a simple add-on. Successful implementation requires coordination across generation planning, fuel supply, utility interconnection, substations, controls, resiliency strategies, and long-term operations planning.
Pond and ENERCON bring decades of experience across data center design, power generation, transmission, substations, utility infrastructure, and energy systems. Together, that experience helps clients align facility planning with power delivery earlier, reducing fragmentation that can slow down complex data center projects.
Conclusion: Power Shapes Delivery
Developers that proactively evaluate behind-the-meter opportunities and integrate power strategy into the earliest stages of project development will be positioned to move faster and more effectively.
As power availability continues to define data center growth, successful projects will depend on partners who understand the full infrastructure ecosystem. Learn how Pond and ENERCON help clients accelerate power planning and infrastructure delivery at enercon.com .
