Retired U.S. Military Aircraft Engines Hold Vast Theoretical Power Potential for Data Centers, EIA Analysis Finds
January 22, 2026
A novel analysis by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) has identified a massive, unconventional potential energy reserve lying dormant in the Arizona desert: the thousands of engines from retired military aircraft stored at the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, colloquially known as the "Boneyard." This finding comes at a critical time as soaring electricity demand from the rapid expansion of data centers, particularly for artificial intelligence and cloud computing, strains the nation's power grid and creates multi-year waits for new connections in some regions.
According to the EIA's Today in Energy briefing, the turbine engines from these stored aircraft could theoretically provide up to 40,000 megawatts (MW) of electricity generation capacity. This figure is roughly 10% greater than Arizona's entire current generating capacity, highlighting the sheer scale of the potential resource. The agency was careful to note this represents a theoretical upper limit, not a ready-to-deploy solution. The analysis was prompted by the growing commercial trend of using modified jet engines as fast-deployable power generators, with single units capable of producing around 48 MW to support a large data center or small community.
As of March 2025, approximately 4,000 retired aircraft are stored at the facility. The EIA focused its assessment on turbine engines—turbofans, turboshafts, and turboprops—while excluding older, less efficient turbojets and afterburning turbofans unsuitable for stationary power. The largest potential contributor is the fleet of turbofan engines, estimated to hold a collective capacity of about 32,000 MW. These engines are the basis for established "aeroderivative" gas turbines used in power generation. The agency cited the technical plausibility of such conversions, noting that refurbished CF6-series turbofan engines are already available on the aftermarket.
The roughly 1,100 turboshaft engines from retired helicopters, like those powering MH-60 Seahawks, could contribute an estimated 1,600 MW. Turboprop engines, such as those from C-130 Hercules aircraft, represent a middle ground with a potential cumulative capacity of up to 7,300 MW. However, the EIA tempered expectations by outlining significant practical hurdles. Most stored aircraft were retired over a decade ago; their engines may have been cannibalized for parts or reserved for future military needs. The logistics of extraction, refurbishment to commercial standards, and integration into power plants would be costly, complex, and time-consuming. For smaller engines like turboshafts, it may be more economical to use modern diesel generators.
The concept of using aircraft engines for power is not merely theoretical in the commercial sector. As Paul Browning, former head of GE Power & Water, told IEEE Spectrum in an October 2025 report, "There just aren't enough gas turbines to go around, and the problem is probably going to get worse," citing lead times of three to five years for new equipment. Companies like ProEnergy are already capitalizing on this gap by converting aircraft engine cores into aeroderivative generators for data centers, providing "bridging power" in a matter of months.
Ultimately, the EIA's analysis reframes the Boneyard from a symbol of military surplus into a catalog of potential industrial assets, valued in megawatts rather than flight hours. It positions these engines not as a replacement for new power plants or renewables, but as part of a broader discussion on grid flexibility, resilience, and the need for rapid deployment capabilities in an era of escalating energy demand.
Source: aerospaceglobalnews
