Consented Southland AI data centre would be NZ's second-largest electricity user

Singapore-based Datagrid holds resource consent for a $3.5 billion AI data centre at Makarewa, Southland. The 78,000-square-metre facility would draw 280 megawatts — about 6% of New Zealand's total electricity supply — making it the country's second-largest electricity user behind the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter. Consents allow 600,000 litres of groundwater daily, though Datagrid says it will use air cooling and rainwater instead.