Concerns have been raised over water consents granted to Singapore’s Datagrid for its planned AI facility in Makarewa, Southland, allowing it to draw more than 600,000 litres of groundwater a day, despite the company saying it expects to rely primarily on rainwater.
Water New Zealand engineer Evan Vaughter compared the water use to that of a small town and questioned how the demand would be met.
The centre will also become the second-largest electricity user after Tiwai Point Aluminium Smelter when it opens in 2028. Invest New Zealand, has confirmed further high-energy data centres are being considered for the South Island in Twizel, Ohau, Geraldine and Cromwell. Read more at RNZ and ODT.
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Quick buck now, forget about later, that’s how government operates in New Zealand. Long term planning is never a consideration, that’s n large part why the nation is such a mess.