Anthropic joins AI’s natural gas frenzy, buys $3.4B worth of turbines

Anthropic is purchasing $3.4 billion worth of natural gas turbines, specifically Caterpillar generators originally ordered by equipment supplier OnePWR, capable of producing up to 1.7 gigawatts. The move marks a shift for Anthropic, which has historically preferred renting computing power, such as its $1.25 billion monthly deal with SpaceX subsidiary xAI through May 2029. The purchase reflects growing uncertainty in the power market, with natural gas turbine backlogs stretching into the early 2030s and long grid connection queues. OnePWR reportedly ordered the turbines years ago but couldn't secure financing, leading Anthropic to buy directly from Caterpillar. The acquisition aligns with a broader trend among AI companies like Google, Amazon, Microsoft, and Meta building on-site natural gas plants for data centers. This surge has revived fracking and could lead U.S. data centers to consume more natural gas than Germany and Japan combined by 2035, while exposing companies to potential price spikes that could triple in some markets by decade's end.

(Source：TechCrunch)