Half of Planned US Data Center Builds Delayed or Canceled as Power and Parts Shortages Bite

Approximately half of planned US data center construction projects have been delayed or canceled as the industry confronts critical shortages of power infrastructure components -- including transformers, switchgear, and cooling equipment -- as well as parts sourced from China that face growing trade uncertainty, Tom's Hardware reported. The finding comes as the largest cloud and technology companies have collectively committed roughly $650 billion in AI infrastructure investment for the current year. That capital commitment is now running into physical constraints that cannot be resolved through financial firepower alone. Lead times for large power transformers have stretched to two years or more at some manufacturers, and domestic production capacity for critical electrical components has not expanded fast enough to meet demand. The problem is compounded Hyperscale campuses under development The report underscores a widening gap between the ambition of US AI infrastructure investment announcements and the physical reality of building data centers at unprecedented speed and scale.