October 5, 2026 - Growing political and community opposition is having a limited effect on the rapid expansion of U.S. data centers, according to Goldman Sachs, which said its growth outlook through 2027 remains largely unchanged.

In a note issued Sunday, the investment bank increased its forecast for U.S. data center capacity at the end of 2026 by 5 gigawatts, to 64 GW. It lowered its forecast for the end of 2027 by 5 GW, to 90 GW.

Goldman projects electricity demand from U.S. data centers will increase 38% in 2026, adding 12 GW, followed by another 38% increase in 2027, adding 17 GW.

Data centers supply the computing power needed to train and operate artificial intelligence systems. Their expansion has prompted concerns about electricity consumption, utility bills and other effects on surrounding communities.

Despite that resistance, Goldman said project activity and its updated capacity estimates indicate that substantial growth will continue through 2027.

Public support remains limited. A June Reuters/Ipsos poll found that approximately one-third of Americans approved of the pace of U.S. data center construction. Only 14% supported building a data center in their community for artificial intelligence projects operated by companies such as Meta, Alphabet, Amazon, Microsoft and xAI.

Goldman said public sentiment has become more negative. Opposition to development also presents a political challenge for Republicans ahead of the November 3 midterm elections.