New cooling methods promise lower water use in Visakhapatnam data hubs

In response to protests from local groups and environmental NGOs, the Andhra Pradesh government emphasised that the upcoming Visakhapatnam data‑centre cluster will adopt state‑of‑the‑art cooling solutions that significantly reduce water consumption. Minister Nara Lokesh stated that while conventional designs would need roughly three trillion cubic metres of water annually for a 6.5 GW installation, the latest liquid‑cooling and indirect‑air‑cooling technologies will cut that figure dramatically. The water will be supplied from the Polavaram project's industrial quota, ensuring city residents’ supply remains untouched. The government also affirmed that a dedicated supply line will be laid for the centres, and that the city’s ordinary water needs will be satisfied through existing gravity‑fed infrastructure within 18 months.