Key Points
- Anthropic agreed to pay $3.4 billion for 1.7 gigawatts of gas-fired generators
- Transaction described as largest known single power equipment purchase by an AI company
- Global data centre electricity consumption projected to nearly double to 950 TWh by 2030
Anthropic, the artificial intelligence company behind the Claude family of models, has agreed to pay approximately $3.4 billion to secure gas-fired power generators for its data centres, the Financial Times reported on Sunday (8 November).
The San Francisco-based company acquired commitments for 1.7 gigawatts of heavy-duty generators from OnePWR Solutions, a San Antonio-based equipment supplier, in late September, according to the report. The Financial Times described the transaction as the largest known single purchase of power-generation equipment by an AI company.
The agreement comes as technology companies face increasing pressure on electricity supplies and equipment availability while expanding computing infrastructure to support AI model training and deployment. Access to grid connections and power-generation equipment has become a significant constraint for AI infrastructure projects, with manufacturers facing growing demand for turbines and electrical equipment.
The generators were originally ordered from Caterpillar by OnePWR approximately two years ago, the report stated. Anthropic had initially planned to purchase electricity from the supplier but subsequently decided to take over the equipment orders directly. The agreement also includes engineering and construction capabilities required to install the generators, though Anthropic has not acquired OnePWR itself and no employees have transferred between the companies.
By the numbers
Key figures from this story- $3.4 billion
- Reported cost for 1.7 GW of gas generators
- 950 TWh
- Projected global data centre electricity consumption by 2030
- $518 billion
- Anthropic's reported ten-year infrastructure spending plan
The Financial Times did not specify where the generators would be installed. News agency Reuters said it could not independently verify the transaction, while Anthropic and OnePWR did not respond to requests for comment.
Investment bank Piper Sandler, which advised OnePWR, has listed a $3.4 billion transaction involving the sale of the supplier’s power-generation platform to an unnamed frontier AI laboratory. The disclosure confirms a transaction of that value but does not identify Anthropic as the buyer.
Data centre power demand
According to the International Energy Agency’s 2026 assessment, global electricity consumption by data centres is projected to nearly double from 485 terawatt-hours in 2025 to approximately 950 terawatt-hours by 2030. The agency said electricity consumption from AI-focused data centres could triple during the period.
Delays in grid connections were prompting some developers in the United States to consider on-site natural gas generation, according to the IEA. The agency estimated that between 15 gigawatts and 27 gigawatts of on-site natural gas generation could be used to power data centres by 2030, primarily in the United States.
Anthropic has announced major investments in computing infrastructure. In November 2025, the company unveiled a $50 billion investment plan for US data centres, including facilities in Texas and New York being developed with Fluidstack. The company said those facilities would support growing demand for Claude and its continued AI research and development.
In September, Reuters reported that Anthropic expected to spend at least $518 billion over the next decade on AI infrastructure through agreements with six partners, according to a confidential initial public offering prospectus cited by the news agency. The proposed expenditure includes long-term commitments involving technology companies such as Google, Amazon and Microsoft.
Your Questions, Answered
How much is Anthropic paying for power generators?
Anthropic has agreed to pay approximately $3.4 billion to secure 1.7 gigawatts of gas-fired power generators from OnePWR Solutions, according to a Financial Times report.
Why is Anthropic buying its own power generators?
Technology companies are facing increasing pressure on electricity supplies and equipment availability as they expand computing infrastructure for AI. Access to grid connections and power-generation equipment has become a significant constraint for AI infrastructure projects.
How much electricity will global data centres consume by 2030?
According to the International Energy Agency's 2026 assessment, global electricity consumption by data centres is projected to nearly double from 485 terawatt-hours in 2025 to approximately 950 terawatt-hours by 2030.
What are Anthropic's broader infrastructure investment plans?
Anthropic announced a $50 billion investment plan for US data centres in November 2025. Reuters reported in September that the company expected to spend at least $518 billion over the next decade on AI infrastructure through agreements with six partners.
