Transformer queues hold; interconnection stretches past 8 years

In Chapter 3.2, the lead time for HV power-transformers remains at approximately 128–160+ weeks, while large-load interconnection timelines have extended to over 8 years, with some cases reaching up to 10 years. These changes impact project planning and operational timelines for data center developers.

Chapter 1.7 highlights a significant shift in the GPU:CPU ratio, moving from a training-era norm of approximately 8:1 to a new range of 2:1 and below. This transition indicates a growing demand for CPU resources as agentic inference applications evolve.

Sustainability efforts are also affected, as Stockholm Exergi has adjusted its target for city heating supplied by recovered data-center waste heat from 10% by 2030 to 10% by 2035, as noted in Chapter 15.5. This delay may influence local energy strategies and data center waste heat utilization.

If you're mid-procurement: a PJM-class greenfield targeting 2029 energization is now the base case, not the downside — re-baseline interconnection assumptions and check your transformer PO dates against the lead-time planner. The GPU:CPU shift toward 2:1 also changes host-node counts in any cluster you're currently specifying.