Thu, 14 Aug 2025

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 Data centres to be expanded across UK as concerns mount

The number of data centres is set to jump by a fifth in the coming years, figures seen by the BBC suggest.

* The number of data centres in the UK will increase by almost a fifth, from 477 to around 577
* The majority of new data centres (around 100) will be built in the next five years
* Over half of the new data centres will be built in London and its surrounding areas
* Major tech giants such as Google, Microsoft, and Blackstone Group are building new data centres across the UK, with a total investment of over £13.8 billion
* The biggest single data centre planned is a £10-billion AI facility in Blyth, near Newcastle
* Concerns have been raised about the energy consumption of the new data centres, with some experts warning that it could drive up prices for consumers
* Over 71 TWh of electricity demand is projected to be added by the growth of data centres in Great Britain over the next 25 years
* There are also concerns about the water usage of data centres, with some existing facilities using large quantities of water to prevent overheating.
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