Data centers accounted for roughly 4.4 percent of total U.S. electricity consumption in 2023, with Department of Energy-linked projections estimating a rise to between 9.5 and 15.3 percent by 2030. Federal research laboratories report that forecasts cannot be narrowed beyond a factor of 1.6. Policy responses differ sharply across progressive, conservative, and libertarian frameworks regarding regulation, energy expansion, and market signals.