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Thirsty and power hungry: Australia is in the middle of a datacentre boom – but not everyone is convinced

The Guardian Tech Sunday 21 June 2026, 15:00 UTC By Patrick Commins Economics editor 1 min read
Key Points

They’re a key part of the digital and AI economy, but they come at a high environmental cost and offer few operational jobsGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastOn Mamre Road, in Sydney’s outer western suburbs, there are plans to build a “hyperscale” datacentre that will be one of the biggest in the world. If approved, the 52-hectare site will include six four-storey buildings that stretch 40 metres high, alongside 936 cooling units and 852 diesel backup power generators.

They’re a key part of the digital and AI economy, but they come at a high environmental cost and offer few operational jobs

On Mamre Road, in Sydney’s outer western suburbs, there are plans to build a “hyperscale” datacentre that will be one of the biggest in the world.

If approved, the 52-hectare site will include six four-storey buildings that stretch 40 metres high, alongside 936 cooling units and 852 diesel backup power generators.

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Australia (LOCATION) Mamre Road (LOCATION) Sydney (LOCATION)
Originally published by The Guardian Tech Read original →

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