Gas Interconnects Emerge as Key to Powering AI-Driven Data Center Growth
J. VYNCKT, Charps, PipeSense and NorMinn Industrial, Bemidji, Minnesota (U.S.)
The CEO of Charps, PipeSense and NorMinn Industrial, Joe Van Vynckt, shares his insights on how pipeline operators and tech companies can navigate the evolving energy and supply chain landscape for data center power.
In the U.S. and across the Americas, the world of data centers is experiencing a profound expansion—driven, in large part, by artificial intelligence (AI) workloads, high-density computing, and the growing footprint of hyperscale cloud services. For pipeline operators and energy infrastructure stakeholders, this trend represents both a significant opportunity and a formidable logistical challenge, particularly when it comes to the reliable delivery of energy where it is needed most.
The latest data confirms the scale of the shift. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), global energy demand from data centers is forecast to more than double—from about 415 terawatt-hours (TWh) in 2024 to roughly 945 TWh by 2030. The U.S. is expected to account for the largest share of that growth.
Regionally, data centers already exert outsized pressure on local grids: in states like Virginia, they reportedly consumed around 26% of total electricity supply; in North Dakota and Nebraska, their share reached double digits. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) also projects that record electricity demand in 2025–2026 will be driven, in part, by data center load.
This energy demand surge is not just a matter of incremental growth—it is reshaping how energy infrastructure must be planned, procured and built.
The supply chain challenge
At the heart of this transformation lies a growing tension in the supply chain. As data centers scale up, their needs for cooling, power delivery and connection infrastructure become more complex. Engineers and contractors are now grappling with long lead times for critical equipment, most notably in cooling systems, filtration and high-capacity interconnects. This makes early procurement not just a best practice, but a necessity to avoid project delays (FIG. 1).
The regulatory side compounds the challenge. In the U.S., permitting for new energy infrastructure, such as gas transmission interconnects, can stretch out over years. Some data center operators, unwilling to wait for utilities to build out infrastructure, are instead seeking direct interconnections: building laterals off main gas transmission lines, installing metering stations and effectively creating their own feed from the grid. This trend underscores a shift—data centers are increasingly becoming partners in energy infrastructure deployment, rather than just energy consumers.
Those supply-side pressures are matched by hyperscale spending. Recent reports on 2025 corporate results showed that Microsoft, Google/Alphabet and Meta substantially increased capital expenditures (CAPEX) to support AI and cloud infrastructure—a signal that the industry intends to continue building at scale despite near-term grid and supply constraints. Those rising CAPEX forecasts translate directly into persistent demand for interconnects, onsite generation and cooling infrastructure.
Energy infrastructure companies are responding in kind. For instance, we have heard first-hand about operators receiving two to three inquiries per week from data center operators wanting interconnects to gas transmission lines. These frequent requests make clear that this is not a niche demand—this is a market in motion. The implication is that the current supply chain, particularly for gas interconnections, is under strain and struggling to keep pace with the rapid growth in data center load.
In short, the competition to power the data centers of the future is not just about adding capacity—it is about doing it intelligently, dependably and in tight collaboration with energy infrastructure partners (FIG. 2).
Futureproofing the supply chain through strategic partnerships
Meeting the scale of today’s power-delivery challenge requires data center developers and energy operators to rethink how they plan, procure and build. The solution lies in closer partnerships, modular construction and smarter procurement.
For pipeline operators, this means anticipating data center demand through pre-approved lateral designs, prefabricated metering and filtration skids, and streamlined permitting support. For tech companies, it means moving from a “wait for the grid” approach to actively collaborating with energy and pipeline firms to secure firm, code-compliant solution packages on the timelines that AI and high-density computing now demand. With power-demand forecasts and corporate CAPEX commitments increasingly locked in, the market is already reorganizing around speed, reliability and regulatory compliance.
A proven strategy for managing lead-time risk is to rely on trusted suppliers and adopt modular construction. By coordinating early with procurement teams, the author’s company integrates prefabricated and shop-fabricated units directly into project plans, reducing dependence on lengthy onsite construction and enabling faster, more predictable deployment.
Accurate forecasting is equally essential. Early and consistent visibility into future power requirements helps every stakeholder avoid capacity bottlenecks. It supports more efficient planning, smoother manufacturing schedules and ultimately more reliable project delivery (FIG. 3).
Building the interconnect for the future
Charps is a company with long-standing experience in constructing gas and energy interconnects. Our work includes developing lateral lines that connect main transmission pipelines to customer sites. These projects typically involve tapping into live, often buried, transmission systems; installing metering and regulator stations; and delivering skid-mounted, above-ground infrastructure. Prefabricating these interconnect stations in a controlled shop environment ensures consistent quality, enhanced efficiency and dependable regulatory compliance.
We produce fully shop-fabricated skid modules, complete with metering, filtration and control equipment, assembled and tested before arriving onsite. Building these systems in a factory setting reduces safety risks, minimizes installation complexity, shortens field-construction timelines and ensures each component meets exact specifications.
Connecting to major transmission lines also demands navigation of a rigorous regulatory and permitting landscape. Charps’ established relationships with gas providers and system operators, coupled with deep familiarity with compliance requirements, support this process end-to-end. The company understands the safety standards, environmental approvals and design protocols necessary to integrate safely and reliably with high-capacity transmission systems.
As data center developments expand and energy delivery networks grow more complex, maintaining the integrity of the interconnect and onsite piping becomes increasingly critical—not only for operational continuity, but also for the safety of surrounding communities and the protection of the environment. This is where PipeSense adds an additional layer of assurance. It provides continuous, high-resolution monitoring and leak detection across the gas delivery infrastructure—from the transmission interconnect to the final energy delivery piping that feeds the data center. The PipeGuard system uses high-frequency pressure sampling and AI-driven signal analysis to detect and classify anomalies within minutes, allowing operators to identify leaks or pressure disturbances early, before they escalate into service disruptions, safety risks or environmental releases.
The ability to locate leaks along the pipeline helps reduce diagnostic time, increase response efficiency and support efforts to limit unintended emissions into nearby neighborhoods and natural areas. As data centers increasingly require uninterrupted, scalable energy delivery, the combination of interconnect construction and real-time monitoring offers a more complete view of system performance, merging physical infrastructure with continuous oversight.
Applying this experience and technology to data center development supports a more structured and risk-aware approach to building energy delivery infrastructure at scale and in line with regulatory expectations.
Cooling infrastructure: The role of NorMinn Industrial
Interconnection is only one part of the data center energy equation. Equally critical, especially in AI and other high-density computing environments, is the ability to maintain stable, efficient cooling. Liquid cooling adoption is accelerating rapidly: TrendForce projects that liquid cooling could reach roughly 33% penetration in AI-focused data centers by the end of 2025, up from about 14% in 2024, driven largely by higher-power rack servers. This shift is redefining reliability expectations across the cooling sector. When cooling systems underperform, the impacts extend to server efficiency, component lifespan and total energy use.
Within this evolving landscape, NorMinn focuses on cooling loop reliability through advanced filtration and pre-engineered system design. NorMinn works with Donaldson Filtration, a global provider of process filtration systems. This partnership enables the company to integrate established filtration technology into its cooling loop systems for modern data center environments.
By leveraging Donaldson’s filters and components, NorMinn designs and assembles cooling loop filtration skids engineered for liquid cooling applications. Each skid is delivered as a pre-piped, pre-assembled, plug-and-play system, complete with Donaldson filtration elements, controls and instrumentation. Fabrication and testing are completed in a controlled environment, which helps reduce variability compared to field-built systems.
Engineered for high-density data center cooling
NorMinn’s high-flow tube filtration skids and bag-filter skids are designed to support the operational needs of data center cooling systems. They offer several practical advantages:
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Streamlined installation process
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Consistent quality through shop fabrication and testing
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Reduced cost relative to field-assembled systems
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A smaller physical footprint to support integration into constrained spaces
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Higher filtration capacity suitable for high-throughput cooling loops
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Simplified maintenance and service access
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Filtration performance that supports stable thermal operation.
These characteristics help maintain clean and consistent coolant circulation, which is essential for thermal performance, hardware efficiency and long-term reliability in high-density computing environments.
Bringing it all together: The power of a one-stop shop
The rapid expansion of AI and high-density computing is reshaping both the pace and structure of energy infrastructure development. Data centers are no longer simply end users of electricity and cooling; they are increasingly active participants in planning, procuring and coordinating the systems that make their operations possible. This shift places new demands on pipeline operators, equipment manufacturers and technology partners, all of whom play a role in delivering reliable power and thermal stability at scale.
Addressing these demands benefits from an integrated approach—one that aligns construction, monitoring and cooling technologies into a cohesive framework. In the context of gas line interconnects, experience with prefabricated metering and filtration skids helps reduce onsite complexity, shorten deployment timelines and support navigation of permitting requirements. These practices contribute to building dependable connections between transmission systems and data center sites, where schedules and reliability expectations are increasingly stringent.
Complementing that physical infrastructure is the role of continuous monitoring. Real-time analysis of pressure behavior, flow conditions and system anomalies can help operators identify disturbances early, reduce diagnostic time and limit service disruptions and environmental impacts. When paired with standardized interconnect construction, this type of monitoring creates a clearer operational picture and supports more resilient energy delivery pathways for mission-critical facilities.
Within the data center itself, cooling systems must keep pace with rising thermal loads driven by AI and high-density computing. As liquid cooling becomes more common, pre-engineered filtration skids offer a way to streamline installation, reduce field-build variability and maintain clean, stable coolant conditions. Effective filtration supports hardware longevity, consistent thermal performance and system efficiency, providing a reliable complement to upstream energy delivery infrastructure.
As data center energy consumption grows and supply chains remain constrained, the ability to plan, build and maintain infrastructure as a coordinated ecosystem becomes increasingly important. The combined efforts of organizations illustrate how a multi-partner approach can bridge gaps between energy supply, regulatory requirements and onsite technical performance. In an environment defined by accelerating demand and compressed project timelines, aligned, modular and data-informed solutions offer a practical path toward building the resilient energy foundations that tomorrow’s digital systems will depend on.
About the author
As CEO of Charps, PipeSense and NorMinn Industrial, JOE VAN VYNCKT brings more than 15 yrs of leadership experience in the energy and industrial infrastructure sectors. He leads teams focused on gas interconnect construction, real-time pipeline monitoring and engineered cooling and filtration systems—capabilities increasingly critical to supporting data center and AI-driven energy demand.