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Anthropic has struck a massive deal for gas-fired engines for data centres, as AI labs muscle deeper into the energy industry and cut out intermediaries in the race for scarce power equipment.
The frontier AI lab bought commitments for 1.7 gigawatts of heavy-duty generators for $3.4bn in late September from OnePWR Solutions, a San Antonio, Texas-based equipment supplier.
Anthropic did not acquire OnePWR itself, but the deal included engineering and construction capabilities needed to install the generators. None of OnePWR’s employees transferred to Anthropic, according to a person familiar with the matter. OnePWR and Anthropic declined to comment.
The transaction is the largest known single purchase of power-generation equipment by an AI lab, underscoring how the race for electricity is pushing tech companies deeper into the energy industry. AI developers typically rely on utilities and specialist power companies to provide power, but with demand for gas turbines and generators soaring and manufacturing lead times stretching years into the future, AI companies are using their financial muscle to cut out intermediaries and take direct control of production.
OnePWR had ordered Caterpillar generators two years ago but needed financing to complete the transaction, according to a person familiar with the matter. Anthropic had originally planned to become a OnePWR customer but opted to take over its equipment orders from Caterpillar instead.
Securing power equipment directly has been crucial to Elon Musk’s SpaceX getting its vast data centres up and running quickly, with xAI, owned by SpaceX, buying mobile gas turbines earlier this year for $2bn. Google’s parent Alphabet bought energy developer Intersect in late 2025. Rather than buy the entire company outright or simply buy the equipment, Anthropic has secured access to engines ordered years earlier before prices surged, which are available in the near term and the next two years.
Anthropic is also a major SpaceX customer, with monthly payments to lease computing capacity expected to reach $3.1bn by year-end.
The purchase also comes as Anthropic pushes to take greater control of the infrastructure powering its operations. The company revealed on Monday that it had nearly $900bn in computing commitments through 2045, having relied heavily on partners to secure power, chips, data centres and land and paying a premium to lock down capacity and meet demand. Buying generators directly gives Anthropic more control over the electricity needed for these facilities.
“By owning some of their power infrastructure and having the capabilities in-house, companies believe they can better protect themselves against disruptions beyond their control,” said Arash Nazhad, a managing director and head of clean energy and power at Stifel.
Anthropic is preparing to go public as early as this month, in what could be one of the biggest listings in history, as it seeks to finance more than $895bn in computing infrastructure spending through 2045. But its ambitions face obstacles. Blackstone warned investors that it might receive a junk credit rating rather than the investment grade previously expected.
Additional reporting by George Hammond