AI infrastructure projects entering service in 2025 took an average of more than seven years to become operational, according to PJM Interconnection data. Projects spent more than three years reaching an interconnection service agreement, then about four more years waiting to come online. Wood Mackenzie found average transformer lead times rose from roughly 50 weeks in 2021 to about 120 weeks in 2024, and analyst Ben Boucher said substation transformer lead times now exceed 160 weeks in 2026. In a March 31 FERC filing (Docket No. ER26-2028), Constellation Energy said the Three Mile Island Unit 1 restart needs significant transmission work before it is fully deliverable.
Securing interconnection rights no longer guarantees power on a predictable schedule, because transmission buildouts, substation capacity and equipment supply now set the pace. PJM's 2026 forecast has summer peak demand rising from roughly 154 GW in 2025 to nearly 210 GW by 2036, so developers face growing competition with utilities for scarce electrical equipment. Queue reform alone will not shorten the time to energization.
The headline signals an industry-wide look at post-approval construction delays for AI data center projects, which matters to developers and operators. It ranked lowest because the snippet is thin and the article may be more analysis than breaking news.