How Do I Know if a Site Has Enough Power for My Warehouse Operations?

For industrial and logistics users, power capacity is no longer an afterthought—it’s a core driver of site selection. Whether you’re operating an office, warehouse, manufacturing, medical, or retail facility, understanding how to evaluate a site’s utility infrastructure is essential to long-term efficiency and cost control.

When it comes to selecting or expanding a power warehouse facility, tenants must look beyond square footage and location. Power availability can directly impact operational continuity, equipment performance, and future scalability.

Why Power Matters More Than Ever

In today’s environment, warehouse and industrial operations increasingly rely on automation, robotics, climate control, and data-driven systems—all of which demand substantial and reliable electricity.

Common drivers of high-power usage include:

• Automation and robotics for material handling.
• Refrigeration or cold storage systems for food and pharma sectors.
• Advanced manufacturing equipment requiring three-phase or high-voltage service.
• IT and data infrastructure supporting logistics tracking and communication.

A power warehouse site that lacks sufficient capacity—or room to upgrade—can quickly become a costly bottleneck.

How to Evaluate Power Capacity

When assessing warehouse sites, tenants should review three key metrics:

1. Electrical Service Capacity (kVA or Amperage):
   Determine how much power is currently available to the building. Larger operations typically require a minimum of 2,000–4,000 amps of service, but this varies by use type.
2. Redundancy and Reliability:
   Evaluate whether the site has backup power options, redundant feeds, or substation proximity. For mission-critical or refrigerated facilities, redundancy can prevent costly downtime.
3. Expandability:
   Confirm with the local utility whether additional power can be brought in if operations scale up. This is especially important for manufacturing and high-tech warehouse users.

An experienced real estate advisor can coordinate with utilities and engineers early in the process to verify capacity before a lease is signed.

AI-Enabled Power and Infrastructure Analytics

As an AI-enabled advisory firm, Keyser uses artificial intelligence and market analytics to assess and forecast power availability and utility costs across multiple regions.

These tools help identify power warehouse sites that align with current needs and future growth by analyzing:

• Regional power grid maps and substation data.
• Local utility reliability ratings and outage history.
• Infrastructure expansion plans and cost estimates.
• Power rate trends that impact total occupancy costs.

By using predictive modeling, Keyser can forecast long-term energy implications for each potential site—helping clients make fully informed, data-driven decisions.

Global Reach, Local Expertise

With over 600 professionals and international partners worldwide, Keyser provides clients with both global insight and local precision. Whether evaluating a warehouse in Phoenix, a manufacturing plant in Dallas, or a medical distribution hub in London, Keyser’s advisors ensure that each location is vetted for infrastructure readiness, reliability, and resilience.

The same analytical rigor applies to office and retail occupiers who increasingly depend on power-intensive technologies, such as data centers, EV charging, or advanced lighting systems.

Conflict-Free Advocacy and Technical Coordination

Because Keyser represents only tenants and owner-occupiers—never landlords—the firm’s recommendations are entirely objective. Advisors work directly with engineers, utilities, and construction teams to validate power capacity and negotiate upgrades when needed.

From high-throughput fulfillment centers to temperature-controlled logistics facilities, Keyser ensures each power warehouse client secures a property capable of supporting operational and future energy demands.

Empowering the Right Decision

Power defines productivity in modern logistics and manufacturing. With AI-powered analytics, global reach, and conflict-free advocacy, Keyser helps occupiers evaluate, secure, and optimize sites that deliver the right infrastructure from day one—and for years to come.

Whether it’s an industrial expansion or a hybrid office-warehouse operation, Keyser ensures that power is never a limiting factor in performance.

Frequently Asked Questions: 

Q: How do I determine how much electrical power my warehouse operation actually needs?

A: Start by calculating the total load of your equipment—including machinery, automation systems, HVAC, lighting, and future expansion needs. A qualified electrical engineer or occupier-focused advisor can model your peak load requirements and compare them to the site’s available capacity to confirm whether it’s sufficient.

Q: What should I review to confirm if a site has enough power for my warehouse or industrial operations?

A: Review the building’s existing electrical service size, utility feed capacity, transformer sizing, panel distribution, and whether the site can be upgraded. Utility records, one-line diagrams, and direct coordination with the local power provider are essential to validate the true available capacity—not just what’s listed on marketing materials.

Q: What happens if my warehouse requires more power than the site currently has?

A: Many industrial buildings can be upgraded, but the cost, timeline, and feasibility vary widely. Utility infrastructure upgrades—like new transformers, switchgear, or additional service lines—may take months or longer, and tenants should assess the impact on operations, occupancy timelines, and total project cost before committing to the site.