Scotland Poised to Freeze AI Datacentre Projects Consuming 1.5× Peak Power

Scotland's SNP national council passed a moratorium motion on July 5, sending it to the Scottish government for implementation. The freeze would block 24 hyperscale datacentre projects not yet with planning permission—collectively requiring more than 1.5 times Scotland's peak electricity demand. Adoption would halt a major share of UK near-term AI infrastructure expansion. The move reflects months of pressure from climate groups over grid capacity and local environmental concerns, complicating Westminster's flagship Lanarkshire AI growth zone amid broader scepticism about the strategy's coherence.