Proposals for a data centre to be built at the site of an old nuclear plant in Scotland have been submitted – if built, it will be the biggest power capacity for a data centre in the world.
The plans detail a £16.5 billion data centre in the former Chapelcross nuclear plant site, which was intended to be demolished in 2040 following its decommissioning 22 years ago.
Despite the site currently being on a timeline to be cleared by 2095, the data centre would speed this up significantly, with the applicant saying they hope for it to be completed within the next eight years. It is also promising 750 jobs during construction and about 540 once operational.
Locals have already started to take action against the proposals, saying the “large scale industrialisation” of the area is “unacceptable” and referencing the nearby countryside views and agricultural land that they argue would be impacted.
Action to Protect Rural Scotland (APRS) says that the site would be built on majority greenfield land, raising environmental concerns.
Laura Moodie, Scottish Green MSP for South Scotland, echoed these concerns, saying: “The site at Chapelcross should be the best place to put a data centre by utilising a decommissioned brownfield site.
“But the proposal which has been lodged is reckless and endangers our energy supply and natural environment.”
Planning decisions are expected to be made no earlier than 2027, due to new data centre guidelines coming into play in Scotland.
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