Google укрепляет свои позиции в энергетическом секторе, приобретая Intersect Power за $4,75 млрд Google Strengthens Its Position in the Energy Sector by Acquiring Intersect Power for $4.75 Billion

The AI boom has transformed electricity supply into a bottleneck: tech giants are acquiring energy companies and expanding production capacities.

Alphabet, the parent company of Google, plans to acquire the data center and clean energy developer Intersect Power for $4.75 billion, also assuming the company’s debt.

This acquisition will enable the tech giant to enhance its electricity production capacity without relying on utility providers that are struggling to meet the demand from AI companies.

Previously, Alphabet held a minority stake in Intersect Power. The acquisition includes the firm’s future projects and is expected to close in the first half of 2026.

New data centers, situated near wind, solar, and battery power plants, are set to become operational by the end of 2026, with Alphabet as the primary user.

Securing energy access has become a critical necessity for training and operating artificial intelligence. Companies face a ceiling, lacking the electricity needed to power their vast data centers. Corporations are tackling this issue in various ways.

Meta has planned to engage in energy trading to expedite the development of new energy facilities in the U.S. There are too few electricity buyers willing to commit to long-term agreements necessary for attracting investment. The corporation’s resolution will facilitate more such agreements.

In addition to leveraging “traditional” energy sources, Google has plans to venture into space. The corporation intends to create a satellite system in low Earth orbit to harness solar energy for powering data centers.

Georgia state regulators have approved a plan allowing Georgia Power to commence a project for new electricity generation and storage facilities with a capacity of nearly 10 GW, which will be one of the largest projects in the U.S.

The Public Service Commission unanimously voted to permit Georgia Power to acquire around 9,900 MW of new resources. Over the coming years, the company will engage in generating electricity from natural gas, storing it in batteries, utilizing solar energy, and entering purchase agreements.

Georgia hosts several major data centers focused on mining and high-performance computing. Georgia Power stated that the expansion is essential to meet the «extraordinary» growth in demand within the state.

The company believes that 80% of the new capacity will be directed towards the needs of data centers.

As part of an agreement with consumer rights advocates and Commission staff, revenues from new large clients will be used to reduce rates. This will help limit the potential increase in bills for households and small businesses.

Miners are increasingly shifting their focus towards AI computing amid declining returns from their primary activities.

Hut 8 has signed a 15-year lease worth $7 billion with AI cloud service provider Fluidstack. The plan includes the development of a data center in Louisiana.

The agreement encompasses 245 MW of capacity at the Hut 8 River Bend campus in West Feliciana Parish, along with a first-right-of-refusal option for Fluidstack on an additional 1,000 MW during future expansions should electricity become available.

Hut 8 anticipates achieving an average annual net operating income of $454 million throughout the contract period.

Construction at River Bend is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2027, with additional facilities slated to be operational later that same year.

Fluidstack is becoming an increasingly active partner for miners. In August, it signed a 10-year contract with TeraWulf. Supported by Google, the crypto miner will provide approximately 250 MW worth $3.7 billion.

It’s worth noting that in September, Google facilitated another deal with a Bitcoin miner, as Cipher Mining leased a data center in Colorado City, Texas, to Fluidstack.