The Data Center Power Index ranks U.S. data center markets on two daily-refreshing scores: Excess Power (capacity available to absorb new load) and Constraint (impediments to new builds). This page is the canonical reference for how those numbers are computed.
Version 1.2 · last updated 2026-05-09
Higher means more buildable headroom. The intent is to surface markets where new data center load can land within 18 months without forcing a transmission upgrade.
excess_power = clamp(0, 100, 40 * normalize(grid_headroom_mw) // ISO net capacity available + 25 * normalize(generator_queue_velocity) // approved-but-unbuilt GW / yr + 15 * (1 - utility_subscription_ratio) // utility net load growth signed contracts vs. capacity + 10 * normalize(local_renewable_surplus_mw) // wind/solar curtailment headroom + 10 * (1 - tier1_market_overlap_score) // distance from VA/NV/Phoenix concentrator markets )
Higher means more friction. Composite of grid, regulatory, and physical limits.
constraint = clamp(0, 100, 30 * normalize(interconnection_queue_age_days_p50) + 25 * normalize(transmission_congestion_lmp_spread) + 20 * (substation_distance_to_load > 10mi ? 1.0 : 0.4) + 15 * water_stress_index // EPA + USGS aquifer depletion + 10 * regulatory_friction_index // moratoria, special-use permitting )
| Excess Power | Constraint | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| ≥ 60 | ≤ 35 | BUILD |
| 50–59 | ≤ 45 | CAUTION |
| 35–49 | any | NEUTRAL |
| < 35 | ≥ 50 | AVOID |
| Field | Source | Cadence |
|---|---|---|
| grid_headroom_mw | ISO public APIs (ERCOT, PJM, CAISO, MISO, SPP, NYISO, ISO-NE) | 15 min |
| generator_queue_velocity | LBNL interconnection queue + per-ISO queue feeds | weekly |
| utility_subscription_ratio | Utility 10-K filings + load-growth disclosures | quarterly |
| interconnection_queue_age | ISO queue tables, withdrawal-adjusted | daily |
| transmission_congestion_lmp_spread | ISO LMP node data, 24h rolling p95 | 15 min |
| substation_distance_to_load | HIFLD substations + parcel centroid | quarterly |
| water_stress_index | EPA WaterSense + USGS NWIS | monthly |
| regulatory_friction_index | Manual curation from county/state filings | quarterly |
The index recomputes every 6 hours. Source pulls run every 15 minutes. Stale data points (> 24h old) are flagged in the JSON response.
| Version | Date | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1.2 | 2026-05-09 | Markets 31–60 added; ISO ingestion via GHA matrix; constraint weight rebalance |
| 1.1 | 2026-04-21 | Initial public release; 232 markets; daily refresh |
| 1.0 | 2026-03-15 | Internal beta |
The full historical dataset is freely downloadable at /data/dcpi-history.csv. The current snapshot is at /api/v1/dcpi/trending. API key not required.