The UK Government is consulting on a draft National Policy Statement for data centres until 11:59pm on 8 January 2027. It applies to England, but the Government says it may be a material consideration in Wales, and Wales has no policy of its own. Read our guide, including how to respond.
We read the draft looking for any protection for households in a drought or a power shortage, and found none. Our guide also explains what “waterless” cooling really means, and offers points you may wish to make.
We have also added a plain guide to data-centre numbers: what “100 MW” means, and the questions to ask whenever a number is quoted.