Methodology & Benchmarks

3. PSCI Measurement Methodology & Benchmarks

3.1. Key Metrics & Formulas

The PSCI formalizes stranded capacity as a measurable ratio between what is provisioned and what becomes productive compute.

PSCI (%) = (Provisioned capacity − Productive compute) / Provisioned capacity × 100

Each operational layer contributes a sub-index, so losses can be attributed and prioritized:

PSCI-facility: thermal and power capacity contracted but not delivered to IT loads.
PSCI-it: hardware capacity installed but not converted into FLOPs.
PSCI-workload: schedulable capacity lost to orchestration inefficiency.

MFU vs. PUE alignment. PUE measures facility energy efficiency but is blind to compute output; MFU measures what fraction of theoretical FLOPs a workload achieves but is blind to energy. PSCI relates both: a facility with excellent PUE and a workload with low MFU still strands the majority of its contracted compute. Operators should track PUE and MFU together, with PSCI as the single reconciliation metric.

3.2. Baseline Hyperscale Benchmarks

Across surveyed hyperscale environments, typical stranded capacity ranges from 22% to 38% of contracted capacity, depending on design maturity and operational tooling. The dominant loss layer varies by facility generation: older facilities lose more at the Facility layer, while newer, thermally efficient facilities shift the balance toward Workload losses.

| Layer | Typical loss range | Dominant pattern | | --- | --- | --- | | Facility | 8–15% | Static Thermal Headroom, Power Distribution Stranding | | IT | 6–12% | Unbalanced Thermal Throttling, Power Cap Buffering | | Workload | 6–14% | Barrier Synchronization Idle, Over-Provisioned Allocation |

Stranded capacity footprint across operating dimensions: a high score means high efficiency in that dimension. The Facility layer typically scores well on power delivery but poorly on scheduling alignment, while the Workload layer shows the inverse — most stranded capacity sits in the dimensions the operator does not instrument. Values are illustrative and do not represent production measurements.

PSCI benchmark range across Tier III and Tier IV data centers: Tier IV design redundancy adds resilience but also more provisioned capacity that can strand; operational tooling, not certification class, is the main differentiator. Bars show the midpoint of typical loss ranges. Values are illustrative and do not represent production measurements.

Stranded Capacity: The Hidden Constraint Behind AI Infrastructure

Stranded Capacity Index

3. PSCI Measurement Methodology & Benchmarks

3.1. Key Metrics & Formulas

3.2. Baseline Hyperscale Benchmarks