Google Builds $15 Billion Data Center in India Amid Local Opposition

A massive data center that Google plans to build in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh is facing opposition from residents in areas near the city of Visakhapatnam, according to a report by Gulf News. The objection is based on anticipated pressure on water and electricity and the removal of vegetation cover, along with expected limited local jobs.

The project is described as a facility with gigawatt-scale computing infrastructure costing around $15 billion, making it one of the largest AI infrastructure projects in India. Alexander Smith, Google's Head of Asia-Pacific Infrastructure, stated that an assessment identified pressure on the local watershed.

Smith explained that the site will rely on advanced air cooling instead of water cooling in a move aimed at reducing water consumption, according to the newspaper. The center is expected to go operational in 2028, and Google says it will generate about $688 million annually in local economic activity.

Local activists are calling for a moratorium on permits for building new data centers in the state until clear controls for water and electricity are established. This development affects both tech companies and local governments, as demand for AI centers is escalating rapidly at a time when the cost of power and water is emerging as a growing constraint on expansion.

What do these terms mean?

Data Center: A facility housing thousands of computing devices and servers that run internet and artificial intelligence services and store data.

Gigawatt: A huge unit of measurement for electrical power; one gigawatt equals about one million kilowatts, which is equivalent to the consumption level of a large city.

Air Cooling: Cooling servers with air instead of water, which reduces water consumption but consumes more electricity.

Moratorium: A decision to suspend issuing new permits for a specified period while their impacts are studied.