The UK government has formally launched its new AI Energy Council, with the first meeting held today (April 8) in Whitehall.

The body’s main aim is to align the government’s clean energy objectives with the rising demands of computing power, driven primarily by the growth of AI.

The council was first unveiled in January 2025 and will be chaired by the Minister for Energy, Security, and Net Zero, Ed Miliband, and Peter Kyle, Minister for Science, Innovation, and Technology.

“AI can play an important role in building a new era of clean electricity for our country and as we unlock AI’s potential, this Council will help secure a sustainable scale up to benefit businesses and communities across the UK,” said Miliband.

Participants in the meeting include power generation utilities and regulators, including NESO, EDF, Scottish Power, Ofgem, and National Grid, as well as large-scale tech firms, such as Microsoft, Arm, Google, and Amazon.

The first round of talks is set to focus on the delivery of secure and sustainable power needed to support new AI and HPC computing infrastructure. The growth of AI is a central tenet of the UK government’s Plan for Change, which sets out its goal of becoming an AI superpower.

As part of the plan, the government will set up so-called AI Growth Zones, where it will speed up planning approval for the rapid buildout of data centers in areas that can access at least 500MW of power and provide them better access to the power grid.

“The work of the AI Energy Council will ensure we aren’t just powering our AI needs to deliver new waves of opportunity in all parts of the country, but can do so in a way which is responsible and sustainable,” said Kyle.

The Council hopes to support the roll out of the UK government’s Clean Power Action Plan. As part of the action plan Ofgem, the UK’s gas and electricity regulator, has announced plans to reform the UK’s antiquated grid interconnection system.

“Working alongside other members of this Council, Ofgem will ensure AI implementation puts consumer interests first – from customer service to infrastructure planning and operation – so that everyone feels the benefits of this technological innovation in energy,” said Jonathan Brearley, CEO of Ofgem.

The new system, which is expected to come into force this year, will fast-track projects that can reach operational status quickly and are needed to meet the government’s 2030 clean power targets. The new connection system is also expected to expedite connections for “new industries like data centers, which are key to boosting economic growth.”