AI's power hunger so huge, data centers are strapping recycled jet engines to the grid.

The explosive growth of artificial intelligence is creating an unprecedented power crisis. Data center developers, desperate for electricity to feed their server farms, are hitting a wall: ordering new gas turbines now carries a six-year wait. With global turbine orders exceeding manufacturing capacity, the AI industry is scrambling for stopgap solutions to keep its expansion on track.

The result is a new, bizarre supply chain. Companies are now hunting for refurbished turbines and converting retired jet engines into stationary power generators. This approach brings its own challenges, including limited supply, maintenance issues, and permitting hurdles, but it's the only way to get megawatts online fast enough. The story illustrates how the physical demands of digital AI are profoundly reshaping energy infrastructure, forcing a move from new builds to a high-stakes, high-tech salvage operation.