---
format: "aidr-story-markdown/v1"
id: "e1c2b99ff86c2243d8d25463c76ebe2cad3366f0f57f6f011336ae1898061c4c"
canonical_url: "https://aidr.today/e1c2b99f?lang=en"
title: "Transformer Lead Times Top 160 Weeks for US AI Data Centers"
lang: "en"
requested_lang: "en"
available_langs: ["en","vi"]
translation_fallback: null
fallback_fields: []
published_at: "2026-10-25T23:54:11.000Z"
category: "Infra"
topics: ["openai"]
source_urls: ["https://marketbrief.now/ai/transformer-lead-times-top-160-weeks-for-us-ai-data-centers-b0250047","https://x.com/rohanpaul_ai/status/2114372948169810375","https://x.com/rohanpaul_ai/status/2114501059611885709","https://x.com/amir/status/2113328875036164268","https://x.com/_pheebini/status/2113330747495039059","https://x.com/choblin29/status/2111912046153674839","https://x.com/zerohedge/status/2112354422336483485","https://x.com/GaryMarcus/status/2112745987294785715"]
summary: "Lead times for generator step-up transformers exceeded 160 weeks in the first quarter of 2026, while high-voltage circuit breaker lead times rose to 125 weeks from 77 weeks in 2023, leaving billions of dollars in GPU hardware unused as the U.S. AI buildout faces power constraints. Neocloud provider Nscale had only 25,000 operational GPUs as of Aug. 31 despite 461,000 contracted, and OpenAI is lobbying the U.S. government for 100 GW of additional power generation annually. GE Vernova reported a gas equipment backlog of 116 GW in one quarter, with some turbines not expected until 2031, and SoftBank-controlled SB Energy shifted its IPO timeline to December or possibly 2027."
---

# Transformer Lead Times Top 160 Weeks for US AI Data Centers

> [Open the canonical story](<https://aidr.today/e1c2b99f?lang=en>)

**Published:** 2026-10-25T23:54:11.000Z
**Category:** Infra
**Topics:** openai

## Summary

Lead times for generator step\-up transformers exceeded 160 weeks in the first quarter of 2026, while high\-voltage circuit breaker lead times rose to 125 weeks from 77 weeks in 2023, leaving billions of dollars in GPU hardware unused as the U\.S\. AI buildout faces power constraints\. Neocloud provider Nscale had only 25,000 operational GPUs as of Aug\. 31 despite 461,000 contracted, and OpenAI is lobbying the U\.S\. government for 100 GW of additional power generation annually\. GE Vernova reported a gas equipment backlog of 116 GW in one quarter, with some turbines not expected until 2031, and SoftBank\-controlled SB Energy shifted its IPO timeline to December or possibly 2027\.

## Sources

- [Story source](<https://marketbrief.now/ai/transformer-lead-times-top-160-weeks-for-us-ai-data-centers-b0250047>)
- [Story source](<https://x.com/rohanpaul_ai/status/2114372948169810375>)
- [Supporting source](<https://x.com/rohanpaul_ai/status/2114501059611885709>)
- [Story source](<https://x.com/amir/status/2113328875036164268>)
- [Supporting source](<https://x.com/_pheebini/status/2113330747495039059>)
- [Supporting source](<https://x.com/choblin29/status/2111912046153674839>)
- [Supporting source](<https://x.com/zerohedge/status/2112354422336483485>)
- [Supporting source](<https://x.com/GaryMarcus/status/2112745987294785715>)