Environment
Andhra sets 70 percent renewable rule for data centres
The Hindu BusinessLine··1d ago
Andhra Pradesh IT Minister Nara Lokesh said data centres in the state must draw at least 70 percent of their energy from renewable sources. Speaking at a Public Affairs Forum of India event, he linked the rule to Visakhapatnam's planned data-centre cluster. He said water needs would draw on the Polavaram Left Bank Canal and desalination incentives.
Prism
What It Means For You
- New data-centre projects face a minimum 70 percent renewable power requirement.
- Lokesh listed solar, wind, pumped storage and battery-based supply as qualifying sources.
- One company is already setting up a desalination plant under state incentives.
What's Happening
- The state is pitching Visakhapatnam as a major data-centre hub for technology investment.
- Lokesh said Polavaram supplies would move water toward Visakhapatnam for cooling demand.
- He described energy, water and other resources as a single planning package.
Why Water Is Part of the Plan
- Data centres are energy- and water-intensive, raising local resource concerns.
- Lokesh said Polavaram would use water that would otherwise flow into the Bay of Bengal.
- The state frames the package as required to attract large-scale digital infrastructure.
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