Google data centre will not cause water or power crisis in Vizag, says MP Sribharat

Visakhapatnam Member of Parliament M. Sribharat on Tuesday (June 16, 2026) said the Google data centre would not lead to a water crisis or power shortage in the city, dismissing concerns raised by environmentalists. He said the State government was strengthening infrastructure and resources to meet future requirements while ensuring sustainable development.

Addressing a press conference at the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) office, Mr. Sribharat said the city required around 480 million litres a day (MLD) of water for domestic consumption, industries, townships and other purposes, while the existing supply was about 410 MLD. Visakhapatnam’s population was expected to double by 2040, requiring a substantial increase in water availability, he said.

The MP said that with the existing canals, reservoirs and water resources, the GVMC had the potential to supply up to 1,243 MLD. This capacity had not yet been fully realised because of the delay in completing the Polavaram project. Once Polavaram water was integrated with the existing infrastructure and further upgrades carried out, the city’s supply capacity could rise to about 2,110 MLD in the coming years, he said.

Mr. Sribharat said that even by 2040, the total water requirement of Visakhapatnam, including domestic, industrial and data centre needs, was unlikely to exceed 1,500 MLD. Even if an additional 100 to 200 MLD were allocated for the data centre, the city would still have a buffer of more than 300 to 400 MLD, ensuring adequate water security, he said. The desalination plant could serve as an additional source, he added. Referring to the proposed desalination plant near Pudimadaka, he said it was expected to generate around 100 MLD.

On power consumption, Mr. Sribharat acknowledged that the data centre could require nearly one gigawatt (GW) of electricity. The State government had already set a target of generating 50 GW of renewable energy by 2029-30, he said, adding that the project was expected to rely mainly on renewable energy in line with the government’s energy policy.

Responding to allegations of unauthorised tree felling, the MP said all necessary environmental clearances had been obtained. Approvals for works in the Mudasarlova region were granted on June 10, while clearances for the Tarluvada area were issued on April 18, he said.

Addressing concerns about environmental impact, Mr. Sribharat said any rise in temperature would be limited to a radius of around 100 to 200 metres around the facility, and that mitigation measures would be taken. On noise, he said acoustic management systems similar to those used in auditoriums and cinema theatres would be installed so that sound did not affect surrounding areas.

The MP, expressing disappointment over the criticism from some environmental groups, said several concerns were being raised without verifying facts. He said the State government was pursuing a policy of ease of doing business and fast-tracking major investment projects, which had enabled rapid progress in infrastructure and industrial development.

Mr. Sribharat said data centres had created challenges in some States because of inadequate planning. Andhra Pradesh, however, was taking a well-planned and balanced approach, ensuring that future water, power and environmental requirements were addressed while attracting major investments, he said.

GVMC Commissioner Ketan Garg said whatever water was needed for the data centres would be supplied through separate pipelines. He ruled out allegations of a water shortage in the Arilova and Madhurawada regions.