Electricity consumption by data centers in the CPFL Energia concession area rose 35.8% in the second quarter of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025, according to CEO Gustavo Estrella. This acceleration builds on a previously reported 24% year‑on‑year increase between 2025 and 2026, which Estrella cited in a May 2026 interview. At that time, data centers accounted for roughly 8% of the distributor’s commercial class consumption.
The commercial class overall grew 2.9% in the same period, of which approximately 1.4 percentage points were attributable solely to data center expansion. Estrella described the current trend as non‑temporary, saying the growth reflects a sustained demand that will continue to support elevated growth rates in forthcoming periods.
Data centers operate continuously, housing large arrays of processing equipment and requiring robust cooling systems. In AI‑linked projects, a single complex can draw power comparable to a medium‑sized city. The Greater Campinas region has become a major hub for such facilities due to its proximity to São Paulo, fiber‑optic availability, presence of technology firms, and access to the electrical system.
Estrella noted that the local grid faces limits in receiving new projects, with many connection requests being denied. To keep pace with demand, the distributor would need investments in transmission lines, substations, and new connection points. He also highlighted the importance of a more favorable tax regime for the sector, pointing to the pending Redata initiative, which proposes specific tax treatment for data centers and could enable the industry to achieve scale.
The situation illustrates how the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence and cloud services is exerting pressure on Brazil’s electrical infrastructure, particularly in regions that have become attractive to high‑density computing loads.