AI companies are building huge natural gas plants to power data centers. What could go wrong?

Microsoft is partnering with Chevron and Engine No. 1 on a West Texas natural gas plant that could expand to 5 gigawatts.

Google is working with Crusoe to build a 933 MW natural gas plant in North Texas.

Meta is adding seven natural gas plants to its Hyperion data center in Louisiana, bringing the site to 7.46 GW.

Equipment makes up 20–30% of a plant's cost; a turbine shortage has emerged and prices are likely to rise 195% vs 2019, according to Wood Mackenzie.

New turbine orders can't be placed until 2028 and deliveries are taking six years; the USGS estimates one region could supply the U.S. for 10 months, and three major shale regions produce 75% of U.S. shale gas but growth there has slowed considerably.