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AI infrastructure glossary
Precise working definitions for the power, grid, data-center and ownership terms used across Compute Current.
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- MW and MWh
A megawatt (MW) measures power at an instant; a megawatt-hour (MWh) measures energy delivered or consumed over time. A 10 MW load running for two hours uses 20 MWh.
- Interconnection queue
A list and study process for proposed facilities seeking to connect to a grid. Queue entry is a request for evaluation, not proof that a project will be built or receive service on its proposed schedule.
- Nameplate and net summer capacity
Nameplate capacity is the manufacturer-rated output of generating equipment. Net summer capacity is the maximum output a plant expects to supply after station use during summer conditions. They are not interchangeable measures.
- Power purchase agreement (PPA)
A contract for the purchase of electricity under stated commercial terms. A PPA can support procurement or project finance, but it does not by itself prove that local transmission and utility service are ready for a data-center load.
- Capacity factor
Actual electricity produced during a period divided by the amount that could have been produced at continuous full-power operation. It describes utilization of generation, not the capacity reserved for a customer.
- Energization
The step at which electrical equipment or a customer facility is made live. For a data-center project, an energization date should be tied to defined utility, transmission, substation and customer-side milestones.
- Hyperscale data center
A very large, highly scalable computing facility or campus designed for substantial fleets of servers and network equipment. The label describes operating scale, not a verified amount of available grid capacity.
- Colocation
A model in which customers place computing equipment in a third-party data center and buy space, power, cooling and connectivity under contract. Contracted space does not always mean power is immediately deliverable.
- Real estate investment trust (REIT)
A company that owns or finances income-producing real estate and elects to operate under REIT tax rules. The term describes a corporate and tax structure; this glossary does not provide investment advice.
- Data-center interconnection
Physical and logical connections that let networks, cloud services and customers exchange traffic. In data-center usage, this is distinct from electric-grid interconnection.
- Load forecast
An estimate of future electricity demand used in planning. Forecasts depend on assumptions and may include adjustments for proposed large loads; they are not measurements of current consumption.