India's AI data centers rise to 1,575 MW, straining supplies
India's AI industry is growing super fast, but all those new data centers are putting serious pressure on the country's electricity and water supplies.
According to data submitted by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology to the Rajya Sabha this August, data center capacity has shot up from 375 MW in 2020 to about 1,575 MW by this year.
Cities like Mumbai and Chennai are leading the charge, and now states like Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh are joining in too.
India projected 17 GW data-centre demand
With AI expanding so quickly, India's data-centre power demand could reach 17 GW by 2031-32, meaning big upgrades to the grid will be needed.
The WEF warns that more data centers could push up electricity and water prices, especially since cooling all that tech takes a lot of resources.
To keep things sustainable, India is turning to renewables and smarter cooling tech while keeping an eye on water use through pollution control laws.