Investment in gas-fired generation in the United States will reach approximately US$50 billion in 2026, surpassing China for the first time in several decades, according to projections from the International Energy Agency (IEA) published on July 1, 2026. The driver of this historic shift is the explosion in electricity demand from data centers for artificial intelligence.
The figure exceeds the projected investment in China for the same period by approximately US$3 billion. This is the first time in decades that the United States has led this indicator against the Asian economy, consolidating a strategic shift in its energy and industrial policy.
Investment in gas-fired generation: 20 GW of turbines ordered in the US in Q1 2026 alone
In the first quarter of 2026 alone, approximately 20 gigawatts (GW) of gas turbines were ordered in the United States, an unprecedented volume. This figure reflects the urgency with which industrial developers and data center operators are seeking to secure firm and dispatchable power supply.
A large portion of these projects will operate under the “behind the meter” model: onsite generation installed within or adjacent to data center complexes. This scheme reduces dependence on congested grids and guarantees operational continuity for critical artificial intelligence loads.
“Electricity demand from artificial intelligence is redefining investment priorities in generation. Natural gas is currently the only source with the combination of scalability, firmness, and deployment speed that these projects require,” stated an IEA analyst quoted by the Financial Times.
Investment in gas-fired generation and its impact on turbines, integrity, and reliability
The growth of investment in gas-fired generation will also have a direct effect on the entire industrial supply chain. In addition to turbine manufacturers, demand for engineering, construction, inspection, specialized maintenance, and asset management services will increase over the coming decades.
The incorporation of new combined cycle plants will require permanent mechanical integrity programs, condition monitoring, non-destructive testing, and predictive maintenance strategies to ensure high levels of availability and operational reliability. This scenario opens new opportunities for operators, contractors, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), and companies specialized in energy infrastructure, in a market that will demand increasingly efficient solutions to accompany the growth of power generation driven by artificial intelligence.
The massive construction of new gas plants implies decades of operation, maintenance, and inspection. Manufacturers of gas turbines—GE Vernova, Siemens Energy, Mitsubishi Power—are facing historic demand that is testing their supply chains.
For inspection, NDT, mechanical integrity, and reliability companies, this cycle represents a long-term opportunity. Predictive maintenance programs, combustor inspections, and hot component life management will be critical from the first year of operation.
The expansion will also demand new gas pipelines, compressors, and metering stations. Gas transport energy infrastructure must scale in parallel with the construction of generation capacity.
A shift that redefines the global energy balance
The IEA data contradicts the narrative of a linear energy transition toward renewables. AI is creating a technological bridge in which natural gas plays a leading role, especially in economies where the power grid cannot absorb the data center load without firm generation reinforcements.
“We are at the beginning of a supercycle of investment in gas-fired generation in the United States that could extend into the 2030s,” noted an energy sector executive quoted by Reuters.
China is maintaining its pace of expansion, but the American acceleration marks a turning point that will have consequences for natural gas, LNG, and industrial equipment markets. Power generation with gas in the US is entering a new era.
Source: Reuters
