Austrians Rally Against Google's Massive Data Centre Plans
Residents of Kronstorf, Austria are opposing Google's plans to build a massive data centre in their small town. The facility will cover around 70 football pitches and is expected to become operational by 2027.
The US tech giant claims the centre will support growing demand for cloud and AI services, create direct jobs and thousands of indirect ones, strengthen Austria's digital infrastructure, and contribute to local sustainability initiatives.
However, locals are concerned about a lack of transparency around the project and unanswered questions about cooling systems, water use, and their impact on the River Enns.
Data centres contain thousands of servers that consume large amounts of electricity and generate heat that must be removed by cooling systems. The first phase alone could consume up to 1.31 terawatt-hours of electricity per year, equivalent to roughly the annual consumption of 375,000 households.