South Korean media report that Chinese data centers are consuming an increasingly large share of South Korea's electricity supply.

Korean Media: By 2030, China’s data centers could consume as much electricity as South Korea

On October 8, South Korean media outlet THE GURU published an article stating that China’s data centers are projected to surpass South Korea’s current total electricity consumption by 2030. The surge in power demand driven by the widespread adoption of artificial intelligence has prompted a shift in data center locations toward western China.

A report from energy consultancy Wood Mackenzie forecasts that China’s data center electricity consumption will rise to 774 terawatt-hours by 2030—approximately four times the current level—exceeding South Korea’s present total electricity usage.

The share of electricity consumed by data centers in China’s overall power use is also expected to grow rapidly. Wood Mackenzie projects that data center electricity use will account for about 6% of China’s projected total electricity consumption by 2030, rising to 17% by 2060.

The rapid expansion of the artificial intelligence industry is the primary driver behind the surge in power demand. As computational requirements for training and operating AI models continue to increase, the need for expanded data center infrastructure and power capacity grows correspondingly. This issue is not limited to China; in major countries such as the United States, the substantial electricity and water consumption by data centers has increasingly become a societal concern.

As a result, China’s data center siting strategy is undergoing transformation. Historically, data centers were concentrated in major cities and technology hubs, but in recent years, their location has gradually shifted toward regions with abundant power supply. Particularly in western China, where vast land availability and strong renewable energy generation potential exist, new data center hubs are emerging.

Securing stable, cost-competitive, low-carbon electricity is expected to become a key factor in future data center investments. Wood Mackenzie forecasts that “the influence of power supply on data center siting and development approaches will become increasingly significant.”

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1878444414709771/

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