Arabic version: ليتلبرود يدعو إلى طاقة الفحم لمركز بيانات مقترح في كوينزلاند
According to ABC News, Nationals MP David Littleproud has called for a new coal-fired power station to support a proposed $32 billion data centre hub near Dalby in Queensland’s Western Downs region. The facility, proposed by Singaporean developer Zerra DC, remains subject to Western Downs Regional Council approval.
Mr Littleproud said duplicating the 750-megawatt Kogan Creek Power Station would help underpin the project’s electricity needs. The proposed centre could draw as much power as 1.5 million average Australian households, equivalent to 25 per cent of Queensland’s current daily electricity use. He also backed nuclear power in Queensland to help support supply.
AI company Anthropic has signed a deal to use part of the proposed hub and has said it wants to begin using the centre from 2027. Mr Littleproud said the project could create about 1,500 construction jobs and 1,400 ongoing jobs. On water use, he said the developer had provided written assurances that the facility would use “effectively six Olympic swimming pools” of water each year.
Katter’s Australia Party MP Robbie Katter said regional areas were already short of cheap, reliable energy and faced restrictions on water supplies for agriculture. He urged the government to assess the project’s long-term benefits against established Queensland industries and said the development should not be rushed.
Planning Institute of Australia head of policy and advocacy Nicole Bennetts said Australia needed up-front strategic planning for large-scale data centres. She said about 165 data centres were operating nationally, with another 225 in development, while the Australian Energy Market Operator expects data centres to account for about 13 per cent of national energy supply by 2036, up from three per cent today.
