Australia Sees 17 Data Centers Seek 9 GW Grid Links as Power Demand Surges
Updated
Updated · RenewEconomy · Jul 28
Australia Sees 17 Data Centers Seek 9 GW Grid Links as Power Demand Surges
1 articles · Updated · RenewEconomy · Jul 28
Summary
AEMO said 17 data-centre projects with a combined 9 GW of maximum connection capacity are moving through Australia’s transmission connection process, with 12 applications totaling 7.6 GW and five implementation-stage projects at 1.4 GW.
More than half of that new capacity is slated for New South Wales and about a third for Victoria, where data-centre demand already averaged 435 MW and 204 MW respectively in the June quarter.
The operator said rising data-centre loads, alongside home and grid batteries, are shifting demand toward daytime hours and helping absorb rooftop solar output, easing minimum-demand stress on the grid.
AEMO is still seeking rules to stop large facilities from suddenly dropping load—potentially by 1 GW—while Canberra pushes states to require new centres to add firmed renewable supply.
Data centres used about 4 TWh, or 2% of main-grid electricity, in 2024-25; industry forecasts put that at 12 TWh, or roughly 6%, by 2030.