Electricity consumption by Australia’s data centers is projected to rise from about 5 terawatt-hours in 2025-26 to 34 TWh by 2035-36, increasing their share of National Electricity Market demand to 13% from 3%, the Australian Energy Market Operator said. The forecast excludes some proposed Queensland facilities and does not model proposed renewable-energy requirements. The surge comes as Australia courts a data center buildout that Commonwealth Bank of Australia estimates could reach A$150 billion by 2030, while the country retires aging coal and gas capacity. AEMO identified no reliability gaps before 2030, supported by 9.1 GW of generation and storage reaching full output in 2025-26, but said timely project delivery and continued investment will be critical. State and federal leaders are expected to discuss rules for data center energy and water use at Wednesday’s national cabinet meeting.