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Chileans Fear Data Center Devouring Green Hill
9 May
Summary
- Residents fear Amazon data centre could destroy a local green hill.
- Environmental authorities approved the data centre despite power line concerns.
- AWS plans to invest over $4 billion in Chilean infrastructure.
Residents on the northern outskirts of Santiago, Chile, voiced strong opposition to a major Amazon Web Services (AWS) data centre complex, fearing it would destroy a vital green hill used for recreation. Their legal challenge, centered on the potential need for a high-voltage power line, was unsuccessful as environmental authorities ruled the data centre could proceed, with power line assessments to be handled separately.
AWS stated its commitment to resource efficiency, designing the infrastructure to minimize energy and water consumption. This project is part of a substantial AWS investment of over $4 billion in Chile over the next 15 years. Chile's favorable business climate and connectivity are making it an attractive location for data centre development, though experts caution about balancing investment with environmental protection.
