Feb 13 (Reuters) – Canadian pipeline operator TC Energy beat analysts’ estimates for ‌fourth-quarter adjusted profit on Friday, helped ‌by strength across its North American operations and ​increased demand for natural gas and power.

Major pipeline operators such as TC Energy are doubling down on expectations of surging ‌natural gas demand ⁠as liquefied natural gas export facilities expand and power-hungry AI ⁠systems, cryptocurrency miners and data centers ramp up electricity use.

TC Energy’s adjusted core ​profit at ​U.S. natural gas ​pipelines, its largest ‌segment, rose to C$1.39 billion ($1.02 billion), from C$1.2 billion a year ago.

The company posted adjusted core earnings from Canadian natural gas pipelines of C$961 million during ‌the quarter ended December ​31, up from C$851 ​million a year ​ago.

On an adjusted basis, the ‌Calgary-based company earned 98 ​Canadian cents ​per share, compared with analysts’ average expectations of 92 Canadian cents, according ​to data ‌compiled by LSEG.

($1 = 1.3619 Canadian dollars)

(Reporting ​by Pooja Menon in Bengaluru; Editing ​by Shilpi Majumdar)