Anthropic buys $3.4 billion in natural gas turbines to secure power for AI data centers

·2026.11.10 01:56

Key point

The purchase of Caterpillar generators capable of producing up to 1.7 gigawatts marks a departure from Anthropic's previous strategy of renting compute and power.

Details

  • Anthropic is spending $3.4 billion on natural gas turbines, a significant shift from its historical preference for renting infrastructure.
  • The Caterpillar generators, originally ordered by OnePWR, can produce up to 1.7 gigawatts of electricity.
  • The move is driven by acute power shortages, with turbine backlogs stretching into the early 2030s and long grid connection queues.
  • Anthropic previously disclosed in its S-1 filing that it pays $1.25 billion per month to xAI for compute access through May 2029.
  • The purchase follows a broader trend among AI companies like Google, Amazon, Microsoft, and Meta to build on-site natural gas plants.
  • Analysts warn that natural gas prices could more than triple by the end of the decade, posing financial risks to hyperscalers.

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