AI Compute Costs: UK Datacentre Expansion Sparks Water and Power Crises
nordicinst · x · 2026-08-09
The Guardian explores the severe side effects of big tech's relentless datacentre expansion, driven by AI demands. Using Slough in the UK as an example, the area is increasingly dominated by massive datacentre complexes.
The article points out that datacentres rely heavily on electricity generated from fossil fuels, exacerbating the climate emergency, while their cooling systems consume vast amounts of water. The UK government plans to triple the number of datacentres, but under the dual constraints of power and water, this unchecked expansion could directly squeeze out resources and space needed for new housing.
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