09-09-2026
Six unnamed companies are exploring six additional data centre projects in Tasmania, according to a document tabled in the state parliament. The proposals are separate from three AI data centres being developed by Firmus Technologies and could require at least 500 megawatts of electricity if all proceed. Two projects have reached the feasibility stage and have selected preferred sites, while four remain at the concept stage. One feasibility-stage project in north-west Tasmania is expected to require between 200 and 300MW, potentially making it the state’s largest data centre. Another project with the same projected power demand is still at the concept stage. A separate 50MW proposal has expressed interest in the closed Liberty Bell Bay manganese smelter site.
The Tasmanian government has declined to say whether the six proposals involve one company or several. The Office of the Coordinator General says some information has been withheld because discussions are preliminary and involve commercially sensitive material. The office has assisted proponents with site selection, stakeholder engagement and introductions to energy developers.
The disclosure followed pressure from the Greens, who accused Premier Jeremy Rockliff’s government of lacking transparency and of failing to establish adequate safeguards before committing the state’s energy and water resources. The government has released a draft Statement of Expectations for Data Centres and AI Infrastructure for public consultation. Mr Rockliff defended the sector, saying data centres could create jobs and represent the type of investment Tasmania should attract.
Firmus says it is not behind the six confidential proposals. Its three Tasmanian facilities would require a combined 444MW, while VIRIDIS is developing a separate 1MW centre in Burnie. Separately, Latrobe Council has referred Firmus’s proposed 52MW Wesley Vale facility to the state government for consideration as a major project. The council says Tasmania’s planning framework is not suitable for assessing the potential risks and long-term impacts of data centre developments.
Entities: Tasmania, Six confidential data centre proposals, AI data centres, Office of the Coordinator General (OCG), Firmus Technologies • Tone: analytical • Sentiment: neutral • Intent: inform
09-09-2026
An analysis by the economic think tank Verdant warns that artificial-intelligence data centers in the U.K. may create far fewer permanent jobs than technology-industry projections suggest. Verdant estimates that existing U.K. data centers support approximately 4,400 direct jobs, compared with tech trade association techUK’s estimate of 24,300. For planned developments, Verdant projects about 10,400 permanent operational roles by 2035, roughly one-quarter of techUK’s forecast of 40,200 jobs.
The disagreement centers on how employment is calculated. TechUK estimates that data centers require approximately 8.5 operational jobs per megawatt, based on staffing levels and capacity at a typical facility. Verdant examined planning applications and public staffing information for 20 planned U.K. data centers and calculated a capacity-weighted average of approximately 1.2 operational jobs per megawatt. It argues that newer, larger, and more automated facilities will require fewer permanent employees. Verdant also says techUK’s broader figures include contractors and supply-chain workers rather than only employees working at the facilities.
TechUK rejected the think tank’s analysis, arguing that Verdant used an unreliably small sample and excluded the wider economic activity supported by data centers and the services they provide. The U.K. government similarly criticized Verdant’s jobs-per-megawatt comparison, saying it confuses electricity capacity with actual consumption and overlooks the economic, national-security, and digital-sovereignty value of data infrastructure.
The dispute comes as the U.K. treats data centers as critical national infrastructure and encourages AI-related investment. Alphabet, Microsoft, Meta, and Amazon have collectively committed nearly $700 billion to data-center expansion this year, while demand for skilled-trade roles inside data centers has risen sharply. Randstad reported increases in vacancies for robotic technicians, cooling and HVAC engineers, and industrial automation technicians between 2022 and 2026.
Entities: Verdant, techUK, U.K. data center expansion, AI data center buildout, Permanent operational jobs by 2035 • Tone: analytical • Sentiment: neutral • Intent: analyze
09-09-2026
Google plans to invest at least 13 billion euros, or approximately $15.1 billion, in artificial-intelligence infrastructure in Finland through 2028. The investment will support data centers and related energy projects and represents the company's largest single investment in Europe. Finland has become an increasingly attractive location for AI and data-center development because it offers available land and power at a time when electricity capacity is constrained across much of Europe.
As part of the initiative, Google signed a 22-year life-extension power purchase agreement with Finnish energy company Fortum. Fortum's shares rose 11% following the announcement. Google also said it would work with Fortum to explore business models that could improve the commercial viability of potential new nuclear reactors at Fortum's Loviisa site in southern Finland. Google said the investment would combine expanded technical infrastructure with new energy capacity, grid improvements, and energy-affordability initiatives.
The announcement comes amid rapid expansion in Finland's data-center sector. Pure DC has announced a 1.5 billion-euro project for a 110-megawatt campus that could eventually exceed 550 megawatts, while Arcem is planning a site with capacity of up to 500 megawatts. Nebius has also proposed building one of Europe's largest AI factories in Finland. Industry observers describe Finland as the “Texas of Europe,” reflecting the volume of new inquiries from companies seeking to enter the market.
Finland is also attracting digital infrastructure investment for social-media workloads, including TikTok's planned data-center expansion. Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said deeper cooperation with Google could generate long-term benefits through investment, innovation, research, and development. The article compares Finland's rise as an AI hub with Texas, where Google plans to invest $40 billion through 2027 and where Meta, Microsoft, and Anthropic have announced major data-center projects.
Entities: Google, Alphabet, Finland, Artificial-intelligence infrastructure, Data centers • Tone: analytical • Sentiment: positive • Intent: inform
