Data centre expansion stalls after residents block power pole work
NextDC delayed work on its West Footscray data centre expansion. A community blockade caused power supply delays.
NextDC requested a trading halt on the ASX on Monday. It wanted to assess the impact of delayed power supply to its M3 data centre in West Footscray.
Community blockades in Melbourne's inner west last month stopped power distributor Jemena's pole replacement work. Local residents parked cars to block contractor trucks.
They filled excavation pits and stopped the work. Jemena paused work in Yarraville to allow consultation.
The M3 facility spans 10 hectares next to homes. It is undergoing a $750 million expansion.
The delay shows Victoria's struggle to balance rapid AI infrastructure growth with grid limits and suburban resistance. Data centres now use about 2 per cent of Australia's national grid power.
This could rise to 9 per cent by 2035.
- $750 million
- Expansion cost
- 10 hectares
- Site size
- 66,000 volts
- Voltage capacity
- 2 per cent now to 9 per cent by 2035
- Grid use projection
Why it mattersThe delay shows that Victoria's fast-tracked data centre approvals are hitting real barriers. Power infrastructure and community acceptance cannot keep pace with developer demands.
AustraliaThe hold-up affects a major Australian company's expansion and highlights growing community pushback against data centres nationwide; it complicates Victoria's strategy to attract AI investment ahead of the November election.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 2 h ago
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