Nationals MP David Littleproud has called for a new coal-fired power station and nuclear power in Queensland to support the Darling Downs data centre proposed by Singaporean developer Zerra DC. AI giant Anthropic has signed a deal to use the $32 billion hub, which faces community water concerns.
Queensland should develop a new coal-fired power station to help bolster the power needed for what would be the country’s largest data centre, according to Nationals MP David Littleproud. The proposed $32 billion technology hub is slated for the Darling Downs, west of Brisbane, near the town of Dalby. Singaporean developer Zerra DC is behind the project, which remains subject to council approval.
Power Demands and Proposed Coal and Nuclear Solutions
Mr Littleproud stated that duplicating the 750-megawatt Kogan Creek Power Station would help supply electricity for the massive facility. According to the lawmaker, the data centre could draw as much power as 1.5 million average Australian households, representing the equivalent of 25 percent of Queensland’s current daily electricity use.
To help underpin this expected surge in energy demand, the Maranoa MP also backed the introduction of nuclear power in the state. We’re getting to a point where technology is outstripping energy supply, and what we’re going to have to do is be bold enough and courageous enough to look to what the rest of the world is doing,
Mr Littleproud said.
Anthropic Deal and Projected Local Employment
Artificial intelligence giant Anthropic has signed its first deal in Australia to utilize part of the massive Darling Downs infrastructure hub. The company has indicated that it wants to begin using the facility starting in 2027.
Beyond its digital footprint, Mr Littleproud highlighted the economic impact for the Western Downs region. The project is projected to deliver approximately 1,500 jobs during the construction phase, followed by 1,400 ongoing jobs once operational.
Community Water Concerns and Regional Frustrations
The scale of the development has drawn scrutiny regarding its natural resource consumption. Addressing community concerns over the vast amount of water required to run the data centre, Mr Littleproud noted that it would consume effectively six Olympic swimming pools
worth of water annually. They’ve been able to give me those assurances in writing but if that changes obviously I will have a concern,
he added.
Meanwhile, Katter’s Australia Party MP Robbie Katter voiced broader regional frustrations over the fast-tracking of multinational tech proposals. Mr Katter argued that the government should focus on existing industries that are currently starved of cheap and reliable energy in the north-west mineral province. He cautioned that a lack of regulation in the artificial intelligence sector does send a shiver down your spine,
adding that officials seem overly eager to roll out the red carpet for foreign tech investments without fully grasping the long-term consequences.
Broader Planning Pressures and National Infrastructure Trends
The sheer magnitude of the proposed Darling Downs facility highlights a much larger national trend in digital infrastructure. Nicole Bennetts, Head of Policy and Advocacy at the Planning Institute of Australia, noted that there are roughly 165 data centres currently operating across Australia, with another 225 in various development phases.
According to the Australian Energy Market Operator, data centres are expected to account for approximately 13 percent of the country’s total energy supply by 2036, a significant increase from just three percent today. Ms Bennetts called for a nationally consistent approach to large-scale data centre placement, urging authorities to move away from reactive, proposal-by-proposal evaluations and toward proactive, strategic planning for land, infrastructure, and energy needs.
