BCS launches power infrastructure unit for data centres

BCS Consultancy has launched a Power Infrastructure division focused on data centre projects, expanding the remit of its former Utilities team as power supply becomes a central constraint on new developments.

The new unit will be led by Cameron Thompson, who moves from Head of Utilities to Head of Power Infrastructure. It will support investors, landowners, developers and operators from early power planning through to construction and energisation.

The change reflects a broader shift in the data centre market, where access to electricity is increasingly determining whether projects can move from proposed sites to operational facilities. Growing demand from artificial intelligence workloads and other power-intensive computing uses has added pressure to electricity networks, while planning limits and connection delays have extended delivery times.

BCS's Data Centre Truths 2026 research found that 93% of respondents expect demand to keep rising even as supply becomes harder to secure. As a result, developers are placing greater weight on whether electricity can be delivered within a commercially viable timeframe, rather than simply whether a grid connection exists on paper.

Broader remit

Previously, the consultancy's utilities work focused on substation delivery for projects with established grid access. Client demand has since shifted earlier in the development cycle, with more requests for advice on power strategy, policy and alternative routes to secure supply before construction begins.

That has broadened the team's role beyond traditional utility coordination. The division brings together policy, strategy and project delivery, drawing on work across more than 50 power infrastructure projects in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and other regions.

According to BCS, some grid connection offers now extend into the 2030s. That has led some developers to consider interim or blended solutions, including on-site generation, solar installations and battery storage alongside longer-term grid arrangements.

The expanded division will manage the full power programme for clients, coordinating network operators, designers, original equipment manufacturers, contractors, land teams and planning specialists under a single delivery strategy.

Early involvement

Thompson said clients are now seeking advice earlier because power has become a deciding factor in site viability.

"Power has always been fundamental to data centre development, but the conversation has shifted. Clients are coming to us much earlier, asking how they can make sites viable within the timeframes they need. Power Infrastructure reflects that shift. By bringing strategy and delivery together, we can give clients a clear route to power, from early planning through to an energised site," said Cameron Thompson, Head of Power Infrastructure at BCS Consultancy.

The operational challenge often lies in the interfaces between project stages rather than in a single technical obstacle. Delays can emerge around design approvals, cable routing, land rights, long-lead equipment, civil engineering readiness, commissioning and network witnessing.

That means power planning is increasingly tied to broader commercial decisions on land acquisition, programme sequencing and financing. For developers, the issue is no longer just securing headline megawatt capacity, but proving that infrastructure can be built and connected on schedule.

Market pressure

Chris Coward, Chief Operating Officer at BCS, said the market was moving from announcements about planned capacity to scrutiny of what could actually be delivered.

"Power increasingly determines where and when data centre projects can happen, and ultimately whether they are commercially viable. As the market shifts from announcing capacity to proving what can actually be delivered, clients need much greater certainty earlier in the development process. Expanding our Power Infrastructure capability is a direct response to that shift. By combining specialist power strategy with our data centre land intelligence and delivery expertise, we can help clients make better decisions from the outset and support them all the way through to delivery and energisation," he said.

Founded in 2016, BCS works on data centre projects across EMEA and has offices in London, Frankfurt, Berlin, Vienna and Milan. The new division will cover power strategy, grid connection, procurement, construction, energisation and handover, giving clients a single view of the dependencies involved in turning power demand into built infrastructure.