A PETITION opposing the installation of a proposed AI data centre in the borough has attracted more than 2000 votes in its favour.
The Change.org petition author says that a data centre at Thames Valley Park (TVP) is not in the borough’s interest, and responds to claims made in the project brochure.
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The brochure says: “The data centre would support UK data sovereignty by providing domestic capacity to store and process information securely, and reduce reliance on overseas infrastructure.”
But since the centre could be leased by any company, says the author, enforcing UK legislation with international companies would be impossible and pose a data security risk to the UK public.
The borough already has good internet coverage and access to ‘cloud services’, ‘internet banking’ and ‘digital health care services’ they add.
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The brochure says that data centres, like water, energy and transport, are Critical National Infrastructure.
The author responds that while water, energy and transport are essential, data centres are not; their detrimental impact to the environmental infrastructure and ecology making them actively harmful to humans.
The Government forecasts a loss of £25 billion to the economy as a result of water shortages and health impacts directly linked to data centres, they say, and add that Bloomberg reports nearly half of data centres abandoned, left half-finished or scrapped.
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The report says that opportunities to “increase the use of grid electricity as capacity becomes available will be reviewed, and that its fuel cells would use natural gas to generate electricity through a chemical reaction rather than conventional combustion, helping to reduce emissions while supporting the UK’s growing digital economy.”
The author replies that US data centres have seen residential electricity bills rise by up to 70%, and asks why tax payers should subsidise the power bills of a trillion-dollar company.
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The report says: “The data centre is future-fuel ready and could adapt to lower-carbon fuels such as biomethane and hydrogen as these become more widely available. Carbon-offsetting options, and biogas generation projects are being explored, it says, along with plans to use air-cooled chillers, to help minimise water consumption.”
The author says these are ideas without certainty, and that ‘future-fuel ready’ does not mean clean energy.
They add that some data centres are struggling to secure enough power to run because what they need exceeds what the grid can give them.
The average AI data centre requires 110 million gallons of water per year, with an environmental agency reporting their use to result in an expected 5 billion litre shortage in UK water supply.
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The report says: “The development would deliver at least 10% Biodiversity Net Gain.”
The author was told this would come from planting trees, but says that data centres are known to be noisy and heat producing, neither of which will attract wildlife, or support tree growth.
The likely outcome, they say, will be net biodiversity loss, and risk to human health from environmental heating.
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The report says: “Opportunities to reuse heat for nearby businesses is being assessed.”
A plan without clear solutions is not enough, says the author, and adds that the centre is designed to make money, not to help people or contribute to communities.
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The report says that the local area could benefit from 115 full-time jobs.
The author replies that this is a poor return for the increased power and water use, and adds that increased AI usage will lead to job losses, with an economic net negative.
The report says the data centre will: “Strengthen Wokingham’s growth sectors including health, telecoms and technology.”
The author says this does not compensate adequately for increased electricity and water use, nor additional heat and associated health issues for the local community.
What Reading and Wokingham both need, the author says, is affordable housing, schools and community spaces, not employment opportunities to replace those currently found at TVP.
For information, and the petition, visit: change.org (search for Thames Valley Park)
