Responding to concerns that data centres could place a heavy burden on the environment, Minister Lokesh said Andhra Pradesh is adopting a holistic approach to ensure that data-centre growth is environmentally sustainable.
Minister Lokesh said the state’s first thumb rule is that a minimum 70% of the energy used by data centres must come from renewable sources, including solar, wind, pumped storage and battery-based energy.
On water requirements, Minister Lokesh said the data-centre cluster is being developed in Visakhapatnam, and the state is addressing its water needs through the Polavaram Left Bank Canal. He said the Polavaram project would help utilise water that would otherwise flow into the Bay of Bengal, with the water being moved towards Visakhapatnam to meet the requirements of data centres.
Minister Lokesh also said the state is incentivising data-centre companies to establish desalination plants, noting that one company is already setting up a desalination facility.
He stressed that addressing energy, water and other environmental requirements together is essential for sustainable data-centre development. Minister Lokesh said a holistic approach is required and that it would help states succeed in attracting and developing data-centre investments.