Energy regulator Ofgem has called for more control over the expansion of data centres across Britain amid concerns over the demands they place on the electricity grid.
A growing backlash over environmental concerns, including their visual impact and use of water supplies, has already led to government intervention.
Ofgem proposes a fee and a requirement for data centres to hit milestones during their development to keep their place in the queue to connect to the grid. This aims to prevent speculative projects acquiring network capacity without confirming connection.
There are understood to be about 315 data centre projects waiting to connect to the grid, according to The Times which says applications have risen from 41 gigawatts (GW) to 125 GW over the past year.
Potential demand to connect far outrstrips current levels of usage. The highest peak electricity demand in the UK over the past year was 45GW, according to the National Energy System Operator (Neso).
Eleanor Warburton, Ofgem’s director for energy system design and development, said: ?”Britain’s electricity demand connections queue has more than tripled in size in less than a year, and consumers should not bear the risks created by speculative projects taking up space in the system.
“The connections system must work for consumers and for the projects that are ready to invest, build and connect. Where speculative projects take up space in the queue, they can delay other schemes and create uncertainty about future network needs.”
Ofgem has launched a consultation on its proposals, which will run until 16 September.
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