Data Centre Watch

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88 entries matching · showing 16–30

1. 19 Oct 2026 World Georgia, US 3200 MW Approved

   Georgia approves a 3.2GW power deal for OpenAI

   Georgia's Public Service Commission has approved a contract under which Georgia Power will build 3.2GW of new generation for OpenAI's data centre in Effingham County ('Project Camelia'), with OpenAI paying the full cost of the infrastructure and offering up to 1GW of flexible demand response. Delivery runs from 2028 to 2032. OpenAI is expected to invest more than $30bn in the campus — four buildings totalling 4.4m sq ft within the 2,600-acre Savannah Gateway Industrial Hub — which it says will use a closed-loop water system.

   Why it matters: A regulator signing off gigawatt-scale load with the costs pushed onto the customer — the 'large load pays its own way' model, made binding.

   Source: IDCNOVA [C]

2. 19 Oct 2026 World United States Reported

   300 local bans, only three projects delayed — a counterpoint

   SemiAnalysis finds that more than 300 local data-centre bans across the US have delayed only three projects — a counterpoint to the wave of 'backlash is stopping the build-out' coverage. It sits alongside the FT's reporting that funding strains and construction delays are testing America's roughly $10trn AI build-out: the constraints that bite hardest may be money and power, not planning.

   Why it matters: Worth recording because it cuts against the story we mostly chart — local opposition is loud, but the binding constraints may be finance and energisation.

   Source: SemiAnalysis via Slicast [C]

3. 19 Oct 2026 World Global Policy

   Anthropic disowns NDAs and local tax breaks

   Anthropic says it will not ask public officials to sign non-disclosure agreements or accept local tax incentives at future data-centre sites, worldwide and whether owned or leased. It follows similar commitments from Microsoft to end local-government NDAs and stop seeking local tax breaks — the two biggest backers in the AI build-out publicly disowning the secrecy-and-subsidy playbook that has fuelled local rows.

   Why it matters: The ground is shifting: 'we won't hide it and we won't take your tax base' is becoming a competitive claim, not a concession.

   Source: Certified Strategic [C]

4. 19 Oct 2026 World Pennsylvania, US Reported

   'I call it a bribe': residents spurn $10,000 data-centre cheques

   In Hazle Township, eastern Pennsylvania, a developer is offering $10,000 to every household once its data centre is operating — and residents are refusing it, one calling it 'a bribe'. Part of their land is also the target of an eminent-domain proceeding for a large transmission tower. It is a vivid local case of a backlash that, per Data Center Watch, blocked or delayed at least 75 projects worth around $130bn in the first quarter of 2026, and which now crosses party lines even as President Trump champions the build-out.

   Why it matters: The answer to 'we'll pay you' is sometimes no — and the offer itself shows what developers now think community consent costs.

   Source: AFP via eNCA [C]

5. 15 Oct 2026 Updated 19 Oct World United States Policy

   A sweep of US cities and counties moves against data centres

   In one week: Milwaukee's Common Council passed a one-year moratorium (and is weighing size caps); Denver began a working group after its one-year pause; Stephens County, Georgia extended its land-use moratorium to January 2027; Fort Wayne, Indiana rejected one; Denton, Texas voted 4-0 to make every new data centre get a council permit (limited to industrial/public zoning); Taylor, Texas approved a 664-acre campus with its own gas plant (5-0); Van Buren Township, Michigan gave Google's $2bn 'Project Cannoli' campus final site-plan approval (5-1) after months of opposition; and Lowndes County, Alabama approved a 20-year, $1.15bn tax break for Cloverleaf's Project Red Clay over opposition. San Francisco and Oakland passed 45-day pauses, Memphis postponed its moratorium vote to 20 October, and Shelby County's commission advanced one at first reading. Nationally, the datacenterbans.com tracker counts 20 active bans or moratoriums and 27 of 50 states restricting or considering restrictions, with further final votes due on 20 October (Memphis, Hillsboro, Bethlehem and Volusia County).

   Why it matters: The US version of the planning rowlands — dozens of separate local decisions, each writing its own rules.

   Source: Data Centers Daily Notes / local reporting [C]

   Changes (2)

   1. 19 Oct 2026 — Added the national picture from datacenterbans.com: 20 active bans/moratoriums; 27 of 50 states restricting or considering restrictions; final votes due 20 Oct (Memphis, Hillsboro, Bethlehem, Volusia County).
   2. 15 Oct 2026 — First filed.
6. 13 Oct 2026 Updated 19 Oct World Maine, US 15 MW Pre-application

   A tidal-powered underwater data centre — and Maine says no

   A developer has asked FERC for a preliminary permit to study a 15MW data centre sunk off Eastport, Maine, powered and cooled by the region's huge tides. Eastport imposed a 180-day moratorium in August and residents have organised against it — though only a multi-year feasibility study is proposed so far. A legal challenge has now been launched, arguing the scheme would harm endangered whale habitat.

   Why it matters: 'Not in my backyard' still applies when the backyard is the seabed.

   Source: The Boston Globe [C]

   Changes (2)

   1. 19 Oct 2026 — Added the legal challenge over endangered whale habitat.
   2. 13 Oct 2026 — First filed.
7. 18 Oct 2026 World New York, US 360 MW Reported

   Google backstops TeraWulf's Lake Mariner leases

   Google has guaranteed roughly $3.2bn of Fluidstack's long-term lease obligations at TeraWulf's Lake Mariner campus in Somerset, New York, and taken warrants worth about 14% of the company. Fluidstack is contracting ~360MW of critical IT load across three buildings on 10-year terms, with phased energisation from the second half of 2026 into 2027. The former coal site already has dual 345kV connections; the campus runs at 102MW now and is planned to reach 500MW (up to 750MW).

   Why it matters: The buyer stands behind the tenant: a hyperscaler guaranteeing rent to make a data-centre lease financeable.

   Source: Crypto Briefing [C]

8. 18 Oct 2026 World European Union Policy

   EU opens a €30bn tender for AI gigafactories

   The EuroHPC Joint Undertaking has opened the EU's AI Gigafactories call: up to seven sites across at least seven member states, each reaching 120MW (medium) or 150MW (large) of IT load in phase two — at least ~930MW if all are awarded. It envisages up to €10bn of EU and national money plus at least €20bn of private capital, but only €1bn of the EU's share is legally committed (the rest depends on the 2028–2035 budget). Bids close 12 November 2026; awards are expected in early 2027 and first operations by mid-2028.

   Why it matters: Europe trying to buy sovereign AI capacity at gigawatt scale — with most of the money not yet committed.

   Source: DC Market Insights [C]

9. 18 Oct 2026 World India 1570 MW Reported

   India's data-centre capacity hits 1.57GW, targeting 8GW by 2030

   India's installed data-centre capacity has grown from about 375MW in 2020 to 1.57GW as of August 2026, with the government targeting 8GW by 2030; roughly $70bn of investment is under way and another $90bn announced. The Central Electricity Authority projects data-centre electricity demand reaching 17GW by 2031-32, and Crisil flags grid connectivity, land and water as the main hurdles, alongside a 2026-27 tax holiday for foreign cloud providers.

   Why it matters: The fastest-scaling market outside the US — and the same three constraints (grid, land, water) turning up again.

   Source: PIB / DD News (via Economic Times) [C]

10. 16 Oct 2026 Updated 17 Oct World Nova Scotia, Canada 420 MW Reported

    Anthropic signs its first Canadian data-centre deal

    Anthropic has agreed its first Canadian data-centre deal, with renewable-energy developer EverWind, which will build and lease a large AI facility at its Point Tupper site in Nova Scotia. EverWind plans more than $10bn of private investment — about $8bn for the campus plus $2bn for onshore wind — with 420MW at full build (an initial 95MW phase in late 2027, a 325MW expansion in 2028), roughly 2,000 construction and 215 permanent roles. It is billed as the largest privately funded investment in the province's history.

    Why it matters: AI compute keeps looking for clean power and space — this time to Canada's Atlantic coast.

    Source: Bloomberg / CBC [C]

    Changes (2)

    1. 17 Oct 2026 — Added EverWind's own figures: >$10bn ($8bn campus + $2bn wind), 420MW at full build (95MW late 2027, +325MW 2028), ~2,000 construction and 215 permanent roles.
    2. 16 Oct 2026 — First filed.
11. 15 Oct 2026 Updated 17 Oct World United States Reported

    Data centres become a US midterm 'sleeper issue'

    The BBC reports that data centres have become an election issue in the US: about 3,000 operate today and that could double within years, while anti-data-centre community groups more than doubled to 833 in early 2026, according to Data Center Watch. Politicians in both parties are reacting — Arizona paused data-centre tax breaks, and the Senate Republican campaign arm told candidates to reframe the debate — as President Trump calls the backlash a 'sick conspiracy'. A UMass poll finds 65% of Americans oppose an AI data centre in their community, and ballot measures on restricting or banning them go to voters next month. In Ohio alone, at least 18 municipalities and townships vote on data-centre measures on 3 November: Grove City, where 1,500+ signatures forced a 12-month moratorium and a resident-veto ballot measure; Granville, Pataskala and Sunbury, weighing charter bans on sites over 25MW; Urbana, a 7.5MW cap; and Ashville (pop. 5,000), a referendum to halt EdgeConneX's proposed 800MW campus on 195 acres. The backlash has entered Ohio's Senate race, with Democrat Sherrod Brown branding Republican Jon Husted 'the face of datacenters'.

    Why it matters: The local revolt has gone national — and, in the US, straight onto the ballot.

    Source: BBC News [C]

    Changes (3)

    1. 17 Oct 2026 — Added the Ohio ballot specifics (18 municipalities on 3 Nov; Grove City veto measure; 25MW/7.5MW caps; Ashville vs EdgeConneX) and the Brown/Husted Senate framing.
    2. 16 Oct 2026 — Added the UMass poll (65% oppose a local AI data centre) and the ballot measures going to voters next month.
    3. 15 Oct 2026 — First filed.
12. 16 Oct 2026 World Norway / United Kingdom 30 MW Reported

    Nscale's $35bn listing wobbles as its flagship site slips

    British GPU-cloud firm Nscale's $35bn NYSE listing (ticker NSCL; S-1 filed 18 September) is complicated by its flagship Norwegian data centre running about six months late: only 6.4MW of a planned 30MW is live, after cooling-system leaks, permitting, construction delays and a transformer fire, with workers housed on a floating hotel. The filing shows $103.4bn of active and contracted value but only $2.6bn active, and roughly 25,000 of 461,000 GPUs running; it lost $1.02bn in six months. It is building the site for ByteDance, and Anthropic may terminate part of its agreement if a delivery deadline slips.

    Why it matters: The 'build capacity ahead of demand' model, exposed: the gap between contracted and running capacity is what a public listing would be priced on.

    Source: Bloomberg / DCD [C]

13. 16 Oct 2026 World Indiana, US 1100 MW Reported

    Microsoft funds 1.1GW of power for its Indiana campus

    Microsoft and NiSource have signed a 20-year agreement under which Microsoft funds roughly 1,100MW of new generation and transmission for its $1bn La Porte, Indiana campus, delivered from 2028. The utility says the deal shields other NIPSCO customers and saves them up to $140 a year (about $1.75bn in total), alongside 600MW of battery storage. The first three of six phase-one buildings are due in 2029, with an 11-building second phase after La Porte annexed 1,000 acres.

    Why it matters: The 'pay your own way' model, put in a contract: the tenant funds the power, and the utility sells the savings as political cover.

    Source: Inside INdiana Business [C]

14. 16 Oct 2026 World Global Reported

    Data-centre builders pre-order generators two years ahead

    At Capacity Europe 2026, supply-chain leads reported that generators now take about two years to arrive and high-voltage transformers 12–18 months, so operators reserve manufacturing slots before designs are frozen — putting delivery speed ahead of price. It is the equipment scarcity that sets project timelines alongside the grid queue.

    Why it matters: Long before the power connects, the kit meant to back it up is already the bottleneck.

    Source: ETDatacenters / Capacity Europe [C]

15. 16 Oct 2026 World Sydney, Australia Reported

    Anthropic signs a 15-year deal at DigiCo's Sydney campus

    Anthropic has signed a 15-year contract for capacity at DigiCo's SYD1 data centre in Sydney, the HMC Capital-backed operator's flagship site. Reported by the Australian Financial Review, it is the latest in a run of long-term anchor deals the AI lab has signed for compute this year.

    Why it matters: The AI labs are locking in years of capacity direct with operators — demand that, unlike the queue, is actually contracted.

    Source: Australian Financial Review [C]