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

Singapore-based Datagrid has 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, second only to the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter. Consents allow 600,000 litres of groundwater daily, though Datagrid says it will use air cooling and rainwater instead.