AdaniConneX-Google Vizag Data Centres To Use Air Cooling, Cut Water Use

AdaniConneX's planned data centre campuses in Visakhapatnam, being developed in partnership with Google, will use air-cooled systems to eliminate the need for water-based evaporative cooling and keep freshwater consumption across three sites to less than the volume of an Olympic-sized swimming pool, according to the project details.

The campuses at Mudasarlova and Tarluvada are part of a proposed data centre development with a capacity of about 1 gigawatt, as Visakhapatnam seeks to emerge as a major hub for artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure.

Unlike conventional data centres that use evaporative cooling systems and cooling towers, the proposed facilities will rely on air-based cooling technology, avoiding the large volumes of water typically consumed by such systems, sources with knowledge of the matter said.

Of the limited freshwater required across the three sites, around 80 per cent will be used for landscaping, kitchens and worker facilities, with water recycled and reused on-site, they said.

The facilities will have dedicated industrial water connections rather than draw supplies from municipal lines, a move aimed at preventing competition with households for drinking water.

The project will also follow a zero-discharge policy for domestic wastewater, which will be treated at an on-site sewage treatment plant and reused for landscape irrigation and flushing. No treated wastewater will be discharged into the Mudasarlova Reservoir, sources said.

The measures are intended to reduce the campuses' impact on local water resources, including the Mudasarlova Reservoir and the adjoining Kambalakonda Wildlife Sanctuary.

Visakhapatnam is attracting investments in data centres and supporting digital infrastructure as companies expand capacity to meet rising demand for cloud computing and artificial intelligence services.

Reliance Industries is also developing a data centre campus near Bhogapuram and Polipalli, while Bharti Airtel is investing in terrestrial and metropolitan fibre networks and undersea cable landing infrastructure at Rambilli.

Data centres are energy- and infrastructure-intensive facilities that house computing equipment used to store, process and transmit digital information. Their cooling requirements can place pressure on local water resources, particularly in areas facing water stress, making cooling technology and water recycling important considerations in large-scale developments.

Water consumption has emerged as a key concern in the debate over Andhra Pradesh's push to attract large data centre investments, as these facilities require substantial cooling capacity to support energy-intensive computing and artificial intelligence workloads.

Conventional evaporative cooling systems can consume significant quantities of freshwater, raising questions about the impact on local supplies, particularly in water-stressed areas and near reservoirs and ecologically sensitive zones.

The debate has put greater emphasis on the choice of cooling technology, the use of recycled wastewater and dedicated industrial water supplies, as governments seek to balance digital infrastructure investments with the needs of local communities and environmental protection.

The controversy intensified after Andhra Pradesh approved Google's proposed AI data centre hub in Visakhapatnam, being developed with AdaniConneX, with environmental activists questioning its proximity to the Mudasarlova Reservoir, a source of drinking water for the city, and the adjoining Kambalakonda Wildlife Sanctuary.

Critics have also raised concerns over the adequacy of environmental assessments and the disclosure of operational water requirements, while the state government has defended the project, with IT Minister Nara Lokesh dismissing claims about its resource needs as misinformation.

The government has said the proposed data centre ecosystem, if expanded to 6.5 gigawatts, could require around 3 TMC of water annually, while Google has said it plans to use advanced air-cooling technology.

AdaniConneX's planned campuses are expected to strengthen Vizag's digital infrastructure and support its emergence as a major data centre hub, sources said.

AdaniConneX, a joint venture between Adani Enterprises and US-based EdgeConneX, is developing a nationwide network of hyperscale data centres to cater to growing demand for cloud computing, artificial intelligence and digital services.

The company combines Adani's expertise in energy and infrastructure with EdgeConneX's global data centre development and operations experience, with a focus on building large-scale facilities to support India's expanding digital economy.

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