UK Government Admits Lack of Data on Major Datacentres

The Government of the United Kingdom admitted it does not hold information regarding the specific users or purposes of the country's largest datacentres. The admission followed a freedom of information request submitted by the charity Global Action Plan.

This lack of transparency occurs as the country experiences an AI-driven boom, with 315 sites seeking National Grid connections and hundreds more awaiting planning permission. While the government designated datacentres as critical national infrastructure in 2024, allowing them to bypass local planning committees, critics argue this prioritizes private interests over public scrutiny. Environmental campaigners and the Green Party warned that some planned sites could exceed the carbon emissions of ExxonMobil in the UK.

Resource concerns have also emerged, with Water UK warning that the country lacks sufficient water to support the current scale of expansion. Despite these warnings, the government opposes a moratorium on new sites, claiming such a restriction would jeopardize national security and drive investment and jobs abroad.