Investment firm Kimmeridge has raised concerns that, owing to mounting opposition and the intricate nature of infrastructure development, as many as half of the data centers slated for construction across the United States might encounter delays or even cancellations. The firm's co-founder highlighted that the Silicon Valley paradigm is now grappling with infrastructure constraints. Should data center projects be postponed, it may become necessary to revise downward the projections for natural gas demand linked to artificial intelligence (AI).

At present, U.S. natural gas producers are banking on AI to fuel consumption growth. However, investor skepticism is growing regarding technology companies' spending, while public resistance to data centers is on the rise, exerting pressure on those bullish about the natural gas market. Projections indicate that daily natural gas demand in the United States is set to surge by roughly 30 billion cubic feet, with data centers potentially accounting for 5 to 10 billion cubic feet of this increase. If projects are delayed, AI-related natural gas consumption could fall toward the lower end of this forecast range.