There are currently 568 data centres listed in the UK, according to the data centre map, external.
Research suggests that number is set to increase by almost a fifth with nine proposed in Wales.
A Senedd Research document, external recently outlined the opportunities that data centres could bring, including “jobs, investment, skills development and support for innovation”.
But it also noted the “significant resource and policy questions they raise”, including electricity demand, grid capacity, water use, land requirements, biodiversity and impacts on local communities.
Ofgem said the amount of electricity being requested by data centre projects seeking to connect to the grid had risen from 41GW to 125GW in the past year, reflecting a sharp increase in demand.
Water UK, the trade association for the UK’s water industry, estimated, external that data centres used approximately 6.6 million litres of water each day – the equivalent used by 20,000 average homes.
By some analyses, the UK is already the third-largest nation for data centres behind the US and Germany.
A spokesperson for Canolfan Ddata Menai said it understood locals’ concerns about the scale of the development and wanted discussion to be based on accurate information.
“The proposed data centre would transform a long-derelict industrial site that has remained vacant for years, addressing contamination and safety issues through private investment,” the spokesperson said.
“The design has been developed to minimise visual impact through building materials, landscaping and layout.”
They said eight hectares of the site would be dedicated to biodiversity enhancement, while noise mitigation measures had been incorporated into the design.
The planning proposals were currently out for public consultation and would be available for locals to comment on until 17 October.