Congratulations to the Bishopbriggs campaign for raising the issue of Hyperscale AI data centres to their local representatives. Today Susan Murray MP asked a question at Keir Starmer’s last ever Prime Minister’s Questions.
Question: Susan Murray MP
“The future of communities like mine in mid Dumbartonshire in uncertain where hyperscale data centres are set to be built. These large data centres in Scotland’s planning system would demand more power than the whole of Scotland needs at its winter peak. Can the Prime Minister assure my constituents they won’t find they’re fighting for electricity during the cold winter days.”
Answer: Prime Minister Keir Starmer
“Mr Speaker, it is very important that we have all the resources we need to provide the energy we need, and to bring the price of energy down, and that is what we’re doing.”
Watch the clip below.
In a piece of analysis that is so obvious it isn’t really required. Hyperscale AI data centres don’t bring down the price of energy. They don’t create energy, instead they use energy. And a huge amount of it. In fact, in the US and in Ireland and in other places, their vast energy demands are pushing up the price of energy. We believe the Prime Minister should have engaged much more constructively with this very good question from Susan Murray MP and we thank her for asking it.