NSW 정부가 지역 커뮤니티의 반대에도 불구하고 데이터센터 승인을 신속화할 계획입니다.

A new government initiative incentivises data centre developers to comply with freshly established guidelines in exchange for fast-tracked approvals. Under the scheme, builders must meet strict environmental and efficiency standards, impose no net cost on consumers, and fund additional water and energy supply. They are also required to enhance local community infrastructure, invest in “future industries,” and commit to skills training and job support programs. In return, the state government has pledged to assess qualifying applications within 75 days.

With more than 60 data centres already operating or under construction across New South Wales and 19 more in the planning and approval pipeline, officials argue that formalised regulations are now necessary. Treasurer Daniel Mookhey announced the framework on Monday, noting that the government had spent over a year developing it. “We are launching a nation-leading policy to make sure that rising data centre investment is matched with increased investment in renewable energy and water infrastructure,” he said. Mookhey emphasised that the new rules would require developers to cover the costs of new clean energy projects, thereby sparing Australian taxpayers. “There’s no doubt we have to replace a lot of old energy sources like coal fire power. We do and should replace that with clean, green, renewable power,” he said. “We want data centre builders to help pay their fair share, so it doesn’t just fall to households to pick up the cost.”

Minister for Climate Change, Environment and Energy Penny Sharpe stressed that all proposals would be evaluated rigorously. “We will have the most stringent environmental standards,” she said, adding that applications would be “held to the highest possible standards in our environmental protections system.” She noted that by 2030, data centres could account for 11 per cent of NSW’s energy demand. “That’s a challenge but it’s also an opportunity for us to underpin greater investment in renewable energy investment into the future,” Sharpe said.

The framework exchanges regulatory compliance for expedited assessments, though it does not outline formal penalties for developers who decline to participate. Mookhey clarified that non-compliance carries significant risk. “Those data centre builders that choose not to comply with these guidelines will have to take the risk that their projects are going to get refused,” he said. “We’re pretty clear that these are our expectations … any data centre builder that chooses not to comply with these standards will find themselves almost alone.”

Despite the government’s stance, the expansion has sparked local opposition. On Sunday, students and community organisers protested the proliferation of data centres around Western Sydney. Local organiser Gokulan Gopal called for a moratorium on new AI data centre construction until communities are properly consulted and fully understand the impacts of living adjacent to such facilities. “Where is the water going to come from? Where is the power going to come from? How are we going to manage the waste? When the outage happens, what kind of backups are they going to use?” Gopal asked. “If they’re going to consume that much power, what will happen to our power price? What will happen to our water price? So there is really some serious unanswered questions.”

Sophie Shanaaz, representing the ‘Stop the Slop’ campaign opposing data centre expansion in Western Sydney, echoed these concerns. “We’re really focused on getting all these AI data centres out of our suburbs … eating our resources. We’re not happy about it and we want to do something about it,” she said. Living in close proximity to a proposed site, Shanaaz added, “I live in very close proximity to one being developed and I feel that there is not enough regulation at the moment.”

Mookhey acknowledged the community’s apprehensions, asserting that the new guidelines are designed to address them. “This technology is only going to have social license if people can see that there is a strong dividend for them and their children, as well as our state and our nation’s future,” he said. He summarised the government’s core expectation plainly: “The principle that we’re setting for today is really straightforward. Data centres that want to build in New South Wales need to bring power, not take it.”

Under the updated framework, developers must secure power purchasing agreements with renewable energy providers. “That means that if these data centre builders sign those contracts, it results in less bills for households,” Mookhey explained. Recognising that data centres are equally resource-intensive regarding water, the guidelines introduce mandatory water usage efficiency standards and incentivise investments in local water infrastructure. To further safeguard consumers, the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) will conduct a water pricing review aimed at ensuring “water users on the network are protected and the impacts of drought and water scarcity are appropriately managed.”

Additionally, a new Office of AI will be established to coordinate government investment in digital and artificial intelligence assets. Its mandate is to “ensure AI supports workers, strengthens capacity and is implemented responsibly across the public sector.” The revised framework and the Office of AI both take effect on Monday, while the IPART water pricing review is expected to take longer to complete.