Thousands Protest Data Center Expansion in Milan as Italy Faces Growing Backlash Over Energy-Intensive Infrastructure

Thousands of demonstrators gathered outside Milan's city hall in Piazza della Scala last month to protest the rapid proliferation of data centers across northern Italy, underscoring mounting public resistance to the energy-intensive infrastructure sweeping across Europe. The demonstration was organized by the National Network of Stop Data Center Committees (Rete Nazionale dei Comitati STOP Data Center), a coalition opposing the unchecked growth of these facilities in the Lombardy region.

Representatives from 40 civic committees called on both national and regional governments to halt the authorization of new data centers and to develop a comprehensive national strategy for assessing such projects and their impact. Protesters also demanded a review of Lombardy's regional data center law—Italy's first legislation specifically addressing the development of these facilities—arguing that it lacks the strength to curb rapid expansion. Since the law took effect in June, Lombardy has reportedly received more than 60 applications for data center projects, representing a combined proposed capacity of approximately 11GW.

The scale of proposed development has alarmed local communities. Lombardy currently hosts 67 active data centers, accounting for one-third of Italy's national total, with 60 percent of authorization requests concentrated in the province of Milan—precisely the municipalities represented by the civic committees present at the protest. Regional Councilor Massimo Sertori reportedly announced in October that the law would be tightened within a month, signaling that regional authorities are preparing to respond to mounting pressure.

"We are concerned about the proliferation of data centers in our areas," Mario Fritella, spokesperson for the No Data Center Network and the Rhodense Committee, was quoted as saying. "These facilities impoverish our municipalities by consuming huge amounts of water and energy, eroding land, and putting our health at risk by contributing to rising temperatures." He further criticized the regulatory framework, stating: "It's absurd that such high-impact activities are being authorized on such a large scale without even a national law, and with a regional law that is currently full of holes because it trades land and our health for money: anyone who wants to open a data center on agricultural land can do so if they're willing to pay double."

The Milan protest reflects a broader wave of opposition across Europe, where activists have staged two-day demonstrations organized by the 'Stop Dirty Data Centres' campaign group. Last week, more than 100 protesters linked to the activist group Geef Tegengas broke into a Microsoft data center construction site in Amsterdam, highlighting growing tensions between local communities and the technology sector's expanding physical footprint. For the data center industry, the backlash in Lombardy—one of Europe's most active development markets—signals that securing social license to operate is becoming as critical as navigating planning regulations, particularly as water consumption, land use, and grid strain emerge as flashpoints in densely populated regions.