The Definitive Guide toAI Data Centers
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GuideGlossaryOpex

Opex · Operating Expenditure

Ongoing running costs such as power, water, staff and maintenance, expensed as incurred.

Current numbers

~$0.6B/yrenergy: largest controllable opex line in the 1 GW model — why the PPA is a financing preconditionas of 2026 · register ↗
25-60%power as a share of AI data center operating cost; the largest single opex line at scaleas of 2026 · register ↗
~$0.6B/yrenergy cost in the canonical 1 GW model — the single largest opex lineas of 2026 · register ↗

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