Power grid delays challenge Amazon’s data centre expansion in Europe

Long delays to get power grid connections are challenging Amazon’s plans to expand data ‍centers in Europe, the company told Reuters, as industries ramp up pressure on policymakers to upgrade ageing energy grids. Energy-intensive ⁠industries have urged the European Union to invest more in grids, warning that a fast connection to stable, reliable power networks is a key criteria for investments in new industrial sites in Europe.

Pamela MacDougall, Amazon Web Services’ (AWS) head of energy markets and ‌regulation in ‌EMEA, said the timeline for getting a grid connection had become one of the biggest deciding factors in the company’s data center investments.