Report: Planned Hyperscale Data Centers in Scotland Could Require Up to 3GW of Power December 5, 2025 A wave of planned hyperscale data center developments in Scotland could collectively demand between 2 and 3 gigawatts (GW) of power, a figure that approaches the nation's current peak winter electricity demand of 4GW, according to a new report. The findings highlight the significant pressure that rapid digital infrastructure expansion, particularly to support artificial intelligence and cloud computing, is placing on regional power grids. The analysis, compiled by non-profit research firm Foxglove in November 2025, identified 11 proposed data center projects across Scotland with individual capacities ranging from 200MW to 550MW. The projects are geographically dispersed, with planned sites in Edinburgh, North Lanarkshire, East Ayrshire, the Scottish Borders, Fife, West Lothian, East Dunbartonshire, and South Lanarkshire. Key developments include a 500MW campus planned by renewable developer Apatura in North Lanarkshire, alongside projects proposed by firms such as AI Pathfinder, SDCL, Shelborn Drummond, and Argyll Data Development. Foxglove noted that its figures, based on publicly available planning applications, may be an underestimation as they do not include projects still in pre-application stages. For three developments where capacity was not listed, researchers used a conservative estimate of 250MW each. To contextualize the scale, the report states that the potential new demand of 2-3GW is comparable to two to three times the capacity of the 1,180MW Peterhead gas power station, or the total combined output of Scotland's now-decommissioned Torness and Hunterston B nuclear stations. It also roughly equals the entire generation capacity of all of Scotland’s offshore wind turbines, which stood at 2,971MW in 2024. This projected surge marks a dramatic shift for Scotland, which has traditionally hosted a minimal data center market dominated by smaller facilities from operators like Asanti & Atos, Pulsant, and IOmart. The influx of hyperscale projects signals the region's growing appeal, likely driven by available land, cooler climates, and ambitions to leverage renewable energy sources, but it also poses profound questions for long-term energy planning and grid stability. Source: datacenterdynamics
Report: Planned Hyperscale Data Centers in Scotland Could Require Up to 3GW of Power
