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Deep & Emerging Tech·October 20, 2026·1 min read

Nextdc Cuts Outlook as Backlash Delays Data Center Power

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Community opposition delaying power to a major Melbourne data center—and forcing Nextdc to consider force majeure—shows that grid access is now a political as much as an engineering problem. If your AI or cloud roadmap assumes new capacity, you need a view on local sentiment and permitting timelines, not just megawatts on a slide.

Deep & Emerging Tech

'How do you know what's real?': US utilities are making AI data centers prove they exist before handing over power connections — as 50% of planned buildouts are currently being delayed, stalled, or canceled

Half of planned AI data center buildouts being delayed or canceled because utilities doubt the customers are real means power is now a due-diligence problem, not just an engineering one. If you’re planning large-scale AI infra, lock in credibility with utilities early—contracts, financing, and visible progress—before you assume timelines are real.