UK Government Shifts Lanarkshire AI Datacentre to Grid Power, Keeps Original Promises Intact

Internal documents revealed by The Guardian show UK officials and developers privately knew the £8.2bn Lanarkshire AI datacentre couldn't rely on promised on-site renewables. In response, the government confirmed the facility will draw from the national grid instead. It joins an eight-to-ten-year connection queue while officials claim energy needs will still be met "overwhelmingly" by renewables—a material shift from the January 2026 Growth Zone announcement that promised entirely on-site power generation by 2030.