OpenAI Urges U.S. Power Surge to Sustain Global AI Leadership

OpenAI is urging the United States government to dramatically expand its electricity generation, warning that without a massive increase in power supply, America risks losing its lead in artificial intelligence to China. In a letter to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, the company called for the construction of 100 gigawatts of new energy capacity each year, nearly double the total that the U.S. added in 2024, to meet the growing demands of AI infrastructure and close what it described as an “electron gap” with China (The Energy Mix). OpenAI noted that China added 429 gigawatts of new power capacity last year compared to America’s 51 gigawatts, a difference that it says could imperil the U.S.’s “once-in-a-century opportunity” to secure AI dominance.

The company framed electricity as the cornerstone of AI progress, stating that “electricity is not simply a utility; it’s a strategic asset” critical for building the data centers that power generative AI systems (CNBC). To sustain its ambitions, OpenAI has embarked on an aggressive infrastructure campaign. Its “Stargate” initiative includes six sites already underway in Texas, New Mexico, Ohio, and Wisconsin, each designed to handle immense computing loads for AI training and deployment (Data Center Dynamics). The plan anticipates constructing up to 30 gigawatts of computing resources worth $1.4 trillion over the next five years, equivalent to adding roughly one gigawatt per week (The Energy Mix).

OpenAI’s letter urged Washington to mobilize federal financing tools and modernize energy regulations to accelerate this expansion. The company recommended leveraging the Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office, the USDA’s Rural Utilities Service loans, and the DOE’s Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) grants to fund new transmission lines (Data Center Dynamics). It also called for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to streamline project approvals, strengthen cost-sharing for interregional lines, and overcome state-level permitting barriers. In addition, OpenAI proposed tightening FERC Order Number 2023 timelines to fast-track shovel-ready energy projects.

Beyond power generation, OpenAI emphasized the need for a larger skilled workforce. Its analysis projected that the company’s infrastructure buildout alone would require 20 percent of the current U.S. skilled trades workforce, including electricians, metalworkers, mechanics, and carpenters (Data Center Dynamics). The letter framed this as both a challenge and an opportunity, arguing that the AI energy boom could spur job creation and open new career paths in construction and energy sectors.

The proposals have sparked concerns among regulators and analysts. Former FERC Chair Mark Christie warned that the rapid push to connect data centers to the grid could threaten power reliability and shift costs to residential consumers (The Energy Mix). Energy expert Amory Lovins cautioned that AI companies may have overestimated their potential revenues, calling into question whether their massive capital expenditures, estimated by Morgan Stanley to exceed $3 trillion in the next three years, can deliver sustainable returns. Lovins suggested that regulators should require data center developers to guarantee power payments through bonds or insurance to mitigate risks of default.

OpenAI’s broader geopolitical framing positions AI energy policy as a national security issue. The company argues that securing affordable and abundant power is essential to counter China’s rapid industrial buildout. It has even floated a “Classified Stargate” initiative to construct data centers dedicated to government AI operations, blending private and public investment (The Energy Mix). The company also proposed creating a strategic reserve of essential raw materials, such as copper, aluminum, rare earth elements, and semiconductors, to reduce U.S. dependence on foreign suppliers (Data Center Dynamics).

While OpenAI’s ambitions align with Washington’s desire to remain technologically competitive, critics warn that the energy race risks replicating the pitfalls of past industrial booms. Overbuilding infrastructure could saddle taxpayers with stranded assets and environmental consequences if AI growth projections fail to materialize. Still, OpenAI insists that rapid energy expansion is not optional but imperative to maintain global leadership in AI innovation. “Electrons are the new oil,” the company declared, an acknowledgment that the next era of digital dominance may hinge not only on algorithms and chips but also on the power that fuels them (CNBC). This article was written by the Covertly.AI team. Covertly.AI is a secure, anonymous AI chat that protects your privacy. Connect to advanced AI models without tracking, logging, or exposure of your data. Whether you’re an individual who values privacy or a business seeking enterprise-grade data protection, Covertly.AI helps you stay secure and anonymous when using AI. With Covertly.AI, you get seamless access to all popular large language models - without compromising your identity or data privacy.

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Works Cited

“The Energy Mix.” OpenAI Calls for 100 GW of New Power Each Year to Secure AI Dominance. The Energy Mix, 2025, https://www.theenergymix.com/openai-calls-for-100-gw-of-new-power-each-year-to-secure-ai-dominance/.

“Data Center Dynamics.” OpenAI Tells White House That US Needs 100GW of New Energy per Year to Support AI Boom. Data Center Dynamics, 2025, https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/openai-tells-white-house-that-us-needs-100gw-of-new-energy-per-year-to-support-ai-boom/.

“CNBC.” OpenAI Urged the White House to Substantially Increase U.S. Investment in New Energy Capacity to Stay Ahead of China in AI. CNBC, 2025, https://www.cnbc.com/2025/10/27/open-ai-power-china.html.

“What Is a Blue-Collar Worker?” MasterClass, written by MasterClass, 13 Oct. 2022, www.masterclass.com/articles/blue-collar-worker.

“What Is Open AI.” Marketing-Dictionary, Localo, 2025, https://localo.com/marketing-dictionary/what-is-open-ai.