The issue of the potential environmental impacts of AI data centres made its way to the floor of the legislature on Tuesday.
NDP MHA Sheilagh O’Leary’s questions were in response to comments made by techNL CEO Andrea King last week that there could be environmental benefits from the facilities.
O’Leary states that available science does not support that claim, and that AI data centres actually use significant amounts of water and electricity, and “greatly” contribute to greenhouse gas emissions.
O’Leary posed those concerns to environment minister Andrea Barbour, and energy minister Lloyd Parrott stood to respond.
O’Leary asked if the minister believes in the science that she had outlined, or the claims from the techNL CEO.
Parrott says government has the environment “very close to (its) heart.” He says their stance on data centres has been clear, and that they haven’t been approached with any proposals, nor do they have plans to build. Parrott states that government is open to having conversations about the expansion of any industry, so long as people in the province are the primary beneficiaries and the environment is protected.
