Google to rethink developing data centre in Chile over water worries

Google on Tuesday said it would halt plans to develop a major USD 200 million data centre in Chile to address environmental grievances, a decision reflecting growing concerns about the impact of the power-thirsty projects around the world.

The US technology company first obtained permits in 2020 to construct the vast project in Chile’s capital, Santiago, as demand for the server farms skyrocketed across the globe, fuelled by a surge in cloud-based technologies and a craze for generative AI.