Blackstone: AI data center grid connections now take up to 7 years

At the CAIS Summit in Beverly Hills, panelists discussed obstacles to AI data center expansion, including rising energy costs and weakening public support for construction. Blackstone's Mike Forman said grid connection times have stretched from 6–12 months to as long as seven years, with utilities demanding investments of up to $1 billion.

• Grid connection times for data centers grew from 6–12 months to up to 7 years
• Utilities may require investments as high as $1 billion per project
• Forman: infrastructure supply constraints, especially power, are worsening
• Rising energy costs and fading public support cited as key obstacles