Residents and activists oppose Google's $15 billion AI data centre in Visakhapatnam, India

Mixed · 2Construction of Google's $15 billion AI data centre project in Visakhapatnam, in Andhra Pradesh state, India, has met resistance from residents who fear its effect on the environment and their lives. 1 2 Mixed · 2CBC News reports that Google is building the one-gigawatt hub with India's Adani Group across three sites covering over 600 acres. It is Google's largest build-out outside the United States, and parts of it are due to be operational in 2028. 2 1 Left · 1The state government has welcomed the investment. At the April ground-breaking, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said he would "do everything I can to extend co-operation". The state offered land discounts and ten-year concessions on water and electricity tariffs, and the MP for Visakhapatnam, Sribharat Mathukumilli, called the project a "long-term economic boost". 2

Mixed · 2Opponents include environmental and human rights advocates, who say approvals were fast-tracked and that costs outweigh rewards. Community organiser Deeksha Vanguru said the data centre boom "doesn't look more than a real estate project" and that India's environmental laws are weak. AFP reports that activists are demanding a moratorium on new data centres across Andhra Pradesh until more is known about their impact. 2 1 Left · 1The "Stop Dirty Data Centres" campaign canvasses villagers near the sites, and CBC reports that Meta recently blocked its Instagram account under India's information technology rules. A court challenge in August failed to halt work, and demonstrators marched in Visakhapatnam on 19 September. 2 Mixed · 2Water is a central worry in an area hit by drought and a weak monsoon this year. The state government says water will not be diverted from residential use, but residents are sceptical. Google says it chose "advanced air cooling" over water cooling after its water assessment pointed to pressure on the local watershed, and that water use is limited mainly to restrooms and kitchens. 2 1

Centre · 1Alexander Smith, Google's head of infrastructure and energy for Asia-Pacific, told AFP that independent environmental assessments are done 12 to 24 months before a project begins. He said Google fully funds required power infrastructure upgrades, plans new clean energy projects in Visakhapatnam, and will not build where a data centre would take power from a community. Google does not disclose site-level power capacity. 1 Mixed · 2Jobs and land are also contested. Smith said the development is projected to generate about $688 million in local economic activity a year, and that each Google data centre job supports nine others in the community. The government says the hub could create up to 150,000 indirect jobs and 4,000 a year during construction, but opponents say it will need only hundreds of permanent staff. Farmer Bali Narasingha Rao said he was pressured to sell his acre in Tarluvada for about $25,000 and fears for the future, and over 260 acres are being cleared at the largest site. Google told CBC that noise at the boundary will stay below 55 decibels. 1 2 Mixed · 2Some residents back the project: software entrepreneur Sudeep Pillarisetty expects it to create opportunities for young tech professionals, and resident V. Jyothi welcomes potential jobs while worrying about water. AFP also notes that a Finnish authority recently ordered work halted on two Google data centre sites pending environmental assessments. 2 1