DeepGreen Seeks Permits for Underwater AI Data Centers

DeepGreen is seeking to develop underwater AI data center campuses in two distinct regions, facing significant regulatory and environmental hurdles in both. In Alaska, DeepGreen Cook Inlet SPV LLC applied for a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission permit to build a facility 45 to 166 feet below the surface of Cook Inlet, powered by 350 tidal turbines. However, Curtis Thayer, CEO of the Alaska Energy Authority, disputed the company's claims that the project would integrate with the Cook Inlet PowerLink, stating his organization was never contacted and the filing contained incorrect facts.

Simultaneously, a subsidiary, DeepGreen Western Passage, is proposing a $100 million project in Passamaquoddy Bay near Eastport, Maine. The plan involves installing 34 server pods and 50 tidal turbines across 11 hectares. This proposal has met fierce resistance from the Eastport City Council, which enacted a six-month construction moratorium, and the Eastport Coalition for Healthy Oceans. Peskotomuhkati leaders Aaron Dana and Hugh Akagi have also opposed the project, warning that it threatens traditional fisheries and a vital ecosystem already strained by climate change.

Developer Louis Wolfson defended the subsea model, arguing that land-based centers strain power grids and consume excessive fresh water. He stated the Maine project is currently in a quiet analytical phase focused on engineering and baseline studies. While local opposition remains high, Maine Governor Janet Mills recently vetoed legislation that would have paused new AI data center development in the state.