#DataCentres to be expanded across #UK as concerns mount

Zoe Kleinman & Krystina Shveda, August 22, 2025

"The number of data centres in the UK is set to increase by almost a fifth, according to figures shared with BBC News.

"Data centres are giant warehouses full of powerful computers used to run digital services from #MovieStreaming to online banking - there are currently an estimated 477 of them in the UK.

"Construction researchers Barbour ABI have analysed planning documents and say that number is set to jump by almost 100, as the growth in artificial intelligence (AI) increases the need for processing power.

"The majority are due to be built in the next five years.

"However, there are concerns about the huge amount of energy and water the new data centres will consume.

"Some experts have warned it could drive up prices paid by consumers.

"More than half of the new data centres would be in #London and neighbouring counties.

"Many are privately funded by US #TechGiants such as #Google and #Microsoft and major investment firms.
A further nine are planned in #Wales, one in #Scotland, five in #GreaterManchester and a handful in other parts of the UK, the data shows.

"While the new data centres are mostly due for completion by 2030, the biggest single one planned would come later - a £10-billion AI data centre in #Blyth, near #Newcastle, for the American private #investment and wealth management company #BlackstoneGroup.

"It would involve building 10 giant buildings covering 540,000 square meters - the size of several large shopping centres - on the site of a former Blyth Power Station.

"Works are set to begin in 2031 and last for more than three years.

"Microsoft is planning four new data centres in the UK at a total cost of £330 million, with an estimated completion between 2027 and 2029 - two in the Leeds area, one near #Newport in Wales, and a five-storey site in #Acton, north west London.

"And Google is building two data centres, totalling £450m, spread over 400,000 sq m in north east London in the #LeeValley water system."

Read more:
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clyr9nx0jrzo

Archived version:
https://archive.ph/GukDh

#BigTech #Datacenters #AISucks #NoisePollution #WaterIsLife #NoWaterForAI #NoNukesForAI

"AI could deplete drinking water sources around Illinois, Midwest"

"Large data centers working on artificial intelligence that need water for cooling could drain area water supplies, a Great Lakes advocacy group warns."

#AI #DataCenters #Water #Illinois

https://chicago.suntimes.com/environment/2025/08/20/data-centers-ai-artificial-intelligence-chicago-illinois-great-lakes-michigan-drinking-water-jb-pritzker

Updating my talk on resource consumption of #datacenters and #ai I have been trapped into this Bloomberg article

- mammoth facilities consume monstrous amounts of energy and water ... drive up electricity prices to political-liability levels.
- use as much electricity as two million households
- cloaking its data centers and cryptocurrency mines with secretive non-disclosure agreements
- the tech industry is trying to break all the rules

https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2025-08-20/ai-and-crypto-data-centers-are-nimbys-new-target

HT @gerrymcgovern

"In 2023, Google operations worldwide consumed 6.4 billion gallons of water (24.2 billion liters), with 95%, 6.1 billion gallons (23.1 billion liters), used by data centers. Google reports that in 2024, the company’s data center in Council Bluffs, Iowa, consumed 1 billion gallons of water (3.8 billion liters), the most of any of its data centers."

https://www.digitalinformationworld.com/2025/08/inside-water-crisis-of-data-centers.html

#WaterIsLife #NoWaterForAI #AISucks #Datacenters

Trump says U.S. will not approve solar or wind power projects

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/08/20/trump-says-us-will-not-approve-solar-or-wind-power-projects.html

The president's comment comes after the administration tightened federal permitting for renewables last month.

#Trump #BigFossil #DataCenters #Renewable #Permits #NoSolar #NoWind #Ecocide #Accelerationism #Attacks #TaxCredits