6 data centre proponents seek TasWater supply, inquiry hears
The Greens say TasWater told the AI data centres inquiry the six are preparing council applications, with sizes unknown.
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- Read original source · Pulse Tasmania
Six data centre proponents have asked TasWater for water supply, the parliamentary inquiry into AI data centres heard this week, according to Pulse Tasmania. The Greens said TasWater told the hearing the six were preparing development applications through local government.
Why it matters
The same inquiry earlier heard from a Latrobe resident about noise from a planned data centre. This hearing exposed a gap on water: a government document tabled in September lists the water needs of the six as “not defined”.
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Greens MP Tabatha Badger said nobody knows who the six are or how big their projects will be. Per the Greens, TasWater indicated some may be small bitcoin mining operations needing only a standard water connection, while Ms Badger said others could reach 300 megawatts.
With water allocations limited and restrictions near, she questioned how much water the six plan to use and whether that is a good use of the state’s supply.
The Office of the Coordinator-General told the inquiry on Tuesday it holds no water use data for the proposals tabled in parliament, and expects most proponents lack it too, Pulse reported.
The numbers
The September document listed 10 data centre proposals drawing up to about 1,150 megawatts of electricity. Six confidential entries had water needs marked “not defined”.
Those six appear only as proponents three to eight. Pulse reports the document does not say if they are one company or several.
Sizes listed for the six, as reported:
- Two proposals at 200-300 megawatts each.
- Two at 50 megawatts each.
- One at five megawatts.
- One below one megawatt.
Ms Badger said restrictions are expected in George Town, close to a potential 288-megawatt data centre at Bell Bay, and the Greens understand proponents would have to manage their own water over summer. She said the Auditor-General is investigating water management in Tasmania and that the combined effect on the state’s water system needs examination.
What’s next
The Greens want the government to require early community consultation before development applications are lodged. Ms Badger said most inquiry submissions called that stage too late, and the government need not wait for the inquiry’s findings.
Government minister Roger Jaensch said planning and approval processes always cover this kind of information. He called the process public and identical for these projects and any others, and said it is appropriate for developments needing water to speak with the relevant utilities.
Sources: Pulse Tasmania, 13 November 2026.
Quick answers
What are the key numbers in this story?
water requests: 6; tabled demand: 1,150 MW; Bell Bay: 288 MW.
Where does this information come from?
This story cites Pulse Tasmania. Every source is linked on the page.
Sources
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Filed by the AusDev Tasmania Desk. How we report.