time-to-power: greenfield self-build vs wholesale colo (live 50k+ GPU cluster) vs neocloud
~24–36 mo construction once power is secured; grid connection waits exceed 4 yr in primary markets and can overlap construction / ~6–12 mo fit-out / days–weeksobserved
| Value kind | observed — Reported measurements, counts, and specifications keep the precision and scope stated by their source; an exact specification is not treated as a range. |
|---|---|
| Scope | Each leg is gated differently: queue position and tariff process (self-build), provider capacity + fit-out (colo), available inventory (neocloud). |
| Caveat | 2026 practitioner bands, not commitments; the executed tariff, studies and agreements set any project's schedule. Utility and construction milestones can overlap, so the energization commitment, not the construction band, gates revenue. |
| As of | 2026-01 (JLL outlook); bands compiled 2026-08 |
| Source | JLL, 2026 Global Data Center Outlook · JLL 2026 Global Data Center Outlook PDF p.18: average grid-connection wait in primary markets exceeds four years; chart 'Average grid connection lead times for new 50 MW data centers' shows ~7 yr for N. Virginia; p.24: average global build time for a 50 MW data center is 18 months. Bands compiled and checked 2026-08-26. |
| Derivation | Self-build: ~24–36 mo construction once power is secured (CBRE 2026: 18–24 mo groundbreaking-to-commissioning for sub-500 MW; SemiAnalysis practitioner band) — the grid queue in front of it averages >4 yr in major markets and ~7 yr in Northern Virginia (JLL 2026 Outlook), which is why queue position, not construction, gates greenfield. Wholesale colo: ~6–12 mo fit-out of an energized shell (xAI Colossus's 122-day build is the compressed extreme; CBRE reports preleased delivery beyond 12 mo for new shells). Neocloud: days–weeks when capacity exists; reserved capacity books months ahead. |
| Review | checking…review by 2026-11-26 · standard cadence |
| Recorded changes | last 2026-10-19 · 6 revisions tracked |
| Claim id | time-to-power-greenfield-self-build-vs |
Where the guide uses it
← Full numbers register — every date-stamped figure in the guide, with revision history.