The Victorian Greens have renewed calls for an immediate moratorium on new data centres after new reporting revealed the industry's electricity consumption is expected to quadruple by 2030, placing extraordinary pressure on Victoria's ageing grid.
The ABC reports that Amazon and Equinix data centres will consume more than a quarter of the electricity generated by Australia's largest wind farm, while another 18 data centres are already approved or awaiting approval across Victoria.
The Australian Energy Market Operator has warned Victoria has no significant electricity supply buffer beyond 2029.
Victorian Greens spokesperson for AI and data centres, Dr Sarah Mansfield, said:
"Labor has rolled out the red carpet for multinational tech corporations with total disregard for the enormous pressure their data centres will place on our electricity grid, household bills and communities.
"Every day it becomes clearer that Labor's data centre free-for-all is not in the public interest. There are another 18 data centres in the pipeline - and not a single one should be approved. We need a moratorium now.
"Labor cannot keep approving massive energy-guzzling data centres and simply hope enough new electricity appears to keep the lights on.
"The Greens are the only party in Parliament fighting to stop this free-for-all and put communities before the profits of global tech giants."
