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TL;DR
Vantage reserved more than 1 gigawatt of manufacturing capacity for Heron Power solid-state transformers that convert grid power to 800-volt DC, while a separate NiSource-Microsoft agreement includes 1,100 MW of generation and a 600 MW battery. The deals point to a shift in how some data centers may deliver power as AI racks grow denser, but performance figures are largely vendor claims and the deployment details remain limited.
Data center operator Vantage reserved more than 1 gigawatt of manufacturing capacity for Heron Power solid-state transformers that convert grid electricity directly to 800-volt direct current, according to a report published October 27. The reservation, alongside a separate power agreement between NiSource and Microsoft, signals growing interest in new electrical systems for AI data centers—and could expand demand for electricians experienced in high-voltage distribution, batteries and power controls.
Vantage’s reservation was reported as taking place on October 21. Heron Power’s transformer is designed to convert grid power to 800-volt DC and incorporate energy storage, according to the source report. The report does not identify how many units Vantage will buy, when they will be delivered or which facilities would use them. Reserved factory capacity is not the same as a confirmed installation.
On October 16, NiSource signed a 20-year power agreement with Microsoft that adds about 1,100 megawatts of generation and a 600-megawatt battery, according to the report. That deal concerns power supply and storage; the available material does not say it uses Heron’s equipment or an 800-volt DC architecture. The two developments illustrate related efforts to secure electricity and manage demand, but they are separate agreements.
Electricians could be involved in installing and maintaining transformers, battery systems, switchgear, cabling, grounding and control equipment as data center electrical designs change. The source material does not provide workforce estimates or specify new licensing rules. NVIDIA’s reference design calls for converting 13.8-kilovolt grid power to 800-volt DC near the facility and distributing it to racks; the company has said production is planned with Kyber systems in 2027.
Infographic 01 · From grid to rack
AI racks near a megawatt are outgrowing the AC power chain.
Why the industry is moving to 800-volt direct current: fewer conversions, less copper, batteries on the main path. The numbers are vendor figures with different baselines, so they cannot be added up.
Today: many conversions
Typical AC chain from the grid to the rack
- Medium-voltage AC from the grid
- Transformer steps it down to low-voltage AC
- UPS converts to DC for the batteries and back to AC
- Distribution units feed the racks
- Every server power supply converts AC to DC again
Each stage loses energy, and almost all of the loss becomes heat the cooling system must remove.
800 V DC: convert once, outside
NVIDIA reference design, full-scale production planned with Kyber racks in 2027
- 13.8 kV AC from the grid
- Converted once to 800 V DC at the edge of the site, batteries on the same DC bus
- 800 V DC busway to the racks
- Stepped down inside the rack, for 1 MW racks and beyond
Bridge for existing halls: a “sidecar” cabinet next to the rack converts AC to 800 V DC, while the old chain stays in place.
Power lost per MW delivered to the rack
kW, SMA white-paper model vendor model
What NVIDIA says 800 V DC changes
NVIDIA’s engineering claims claim
Sources: NVIDIA technical blog (20 May 2025, updated 31 Jul 2025); SMA America, sponsored content in Utility Dive (26 Oct 2026). Rack density: IEA, Key Questions on Energy and AI (Apr 2026) (AI server power density 11× from 2020 to 2025, a further 4× by 2027).
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New Power Systems, New Electrical Work
AI systems are increasing the amount of power concentrated in each server rack. The International Energy Agency says AI server power density rose 11-fold from 2020 to 2025 and is projected to quadruple again by 2027. It says a rack could then have peak power demand comparable to 65 households. These figures help explain why operators are considering different ways to move electricity through a facility.
At higher power levels, conventional low-voltage distribution requires large conductors and substantial equipment space. NVIDIA says its 800-volt design would use 45% less copper than 415-volt AC distribution and improve end-to-end efficiency by up to 5% compared with current 54-volt systems. Those are vendor estimates, not independent measurements reported here. If high-voltage DC systems are adopted, electricians and other technical workers will need training suited to the equipment and the hazards involved; the source does not establish how quickly that workforce shift will occur.
Power availability also affects project schedules and electricity costs. The IEA says transformers can take two to three years to arrive and grid connections five to ten years in some locations. New generation, batteries and data center connections may alter local infrastructure needs, but the effect on household bills depends on how costs are allocated by utilities and regulators. The reported agreements do not settle that issue.
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Why Data Center Power Designs Are Changing
Most data centers have traditionally received alternating current, stepped it down through transformers and distribution equipment, and converted it to low-voltage DC near servers. Each conversion can lose energy, much of which becomes heat that cooling systems must remove. This design developed around lower rack loads; operators now face AI systems with much denser power demands.
The IEA estimates global data center electricity use at 485 terawatt-hours in 2025 and projects about 950 TWh in 2030. Berkeley Lab reported that data centers used 4.4% of U.S. electricity in 2023 and projected a range of 6.7% to 12% by 2028. Those are estimates and projections, not measurements of future consumption.
The industry is also exploring batteries to manage sharp changes in computing demand. The IEA estimates data centers could have 20–25 gigawatts of batteries by 2030, while noting that their potential value to the grid depends on incentives. A Utility Dive article published October 26 describing 800-volt DC systems was sponsored content from inverter maker SMA America. Its modeled energy-loss comparisons should be read as a vendor-sponsored analysis, not independent field results.
“NVIDIA says its design could require 45% less copper than 415 V AC distribution.”
— NVIDIA, in its 800 VDC technical blog
Deployment Plans And Cost Questions
The report does not say when Vantage’s reserved factory capacity will translate into installed transformers, which data centers will receive them or whether the reservation commits the company to a purchase. It also provides no independent operating data comparing 800-volt DC systems with conventional designs at commercial scale.
Claims about copper savings, efficiency and maintenance costs come from NVIDIA; the energy-loss model in the Utility Dive article comes from SMA-sponsored material. Actual results could depend on facility design, operating conditions and the cost of retrofitting existing halls. It is also unclear how many electricians would be needed, what additional training employers will require or how installation and maintenance responsibilities will be divided.
The source material does not explain how the costs of the NiSource-Microsoft generation and battery agreement will be allocated among the parties, customers or ratepayers. The local effects on electricity prices and grid reliability cannot be determined from the deal announcement alone.
Orders, Installations And Grid Approvals
The next milestones are whether Vantage converts its capacity reservation into equipment orders and installations, and whether manufacturers deliver systems on the timelines operators need. NVIDIA has said full-scale production of its 800-volt design is planned alongside Kyber systems in 2027; that is a company plan, not confirmation that data centers will widely adopt the design by then.
Operators, utilities and regulators will also have to work through grid connections, permitting, safety practices and the costs of new generation and storage. For electricians, hiring demand and training requirements will become clearer as projects move from plans to construction and commissioning. The available reporting provides no confirmed installation schedule for Vantage’s reservation or a separate timetable for the NiSource-Microsoft power resources.
Key Questions
What did Vantage announce?
Vantage reserved more than 1 gigawatt of factory capacity for Heron Power solid-state transformers designed to convert grid electricity to 800-volt DC. The report does not confirm a purchase or installation schedule.
Is the NiSource-Microsoft agreement part of Vantage’s transformer deal?
No. They are separate developments. NiSource’s 20-year agreement with Microsoft adds about 1,100 MW of generation and a 600 MW battery, according to the source report.
Why are data centers considering 800-volt DC?
AI racks draw increasing amounts of power in concentrated spaces. Higher-voltage distribution may reduce the amount of copper and the number of conversion steps, but the savings cited in the report are vendor claims rather than independent operating results.
What could the shift mean for electricians?
New systems may create work installing and servicing transformers, batteries, switchgear, cabling and controls. The source does not give job estimates or specify new training and licensing requirements.
Will these projects lower electricity bills?
That is not established. The agreements add or reserve power infrastructure, but the available reporting does not explain how costs will be allocated or what effect the projects will have on household rates.
Source: ThorstenMeyerAI.com
