Launch of UK’s ‘largest AI supercomputer’ delayed by power supply problems
News Source
•Thu, 24 Sep 2026 17:26:26 GMT
📰 What Happened
A large data centre in Loughton, Essex, that the UK government called the country's biggest AI supercomputer will miss its 2027 launch date. It may not open until the mid-2030s.
The builder, UK startup Nscale, has been told by UK Power Networks that the local grid cannot supply enough power in time. The delay was first reported by the newsletter Morning Intelligence.
Nscale says it is committed to the project. It is looking at making power on site and at speeding up its connection to the grid. The scaffolding yard on the site has now been cleared.
🔍 The Backstory
The project was announced in 2025 as part of the UK's AI strategy and called the largest UK sovereign AI data centre. The Guardian found in March that the site was still a scaffolding yard.
The energy regulator Ofgem has warned of a long queue for electricity connections. In June it said 315 data centres were waiting to connect, asking for 73 gigawatts of power.
That is more than the whole country's peak demand of 45 gigawatts. The Loughton site alone wants up to 90 megawatts, about the same as 315,000 homes. Grid upgrades take years to build.
🎯 Why It Matters
AI data centres use huge amounts of electricity, and Britain's grid is struggling to keep up. The delay puts the government's AI plans and promised tech jobs at risk.
A large data centre in Loughton, Essex, that the UK government called the country's biggest AI supercomputer will miss its 2027 launch date. It may not open until the mid-2030s.
The builder, UK startup Nscale, has been told by UK Power Networks that the local grid cannot supply enough power in time. The delay was first reported by the newsletter Morning Intelligence.
Nscale says it is committed to the project. It is looking at making power on site and at speeding up its connection to the grid. The scaffolding yard on the site has now been cleared.
The project was announced in 2025 as part of the UK's AI strategy and called the largest UK sovereign AI data centre. The Guardian found in March that the site was still a scaffolding yard.
The energy regulator Ofgem has warned of a long queue for electricity connections. In June it said 315 data centres were waiting to connect, asking for 73 gigawatts of power.
That is more than the whole country's peak demand of 45 gigawatts. The Loughton site alone wants up to 90 megawatts, about the same as 315,000 homes. Grid upgrades take years to build.
AI data centres use huge amounts of electricity, and Britain's grid is struggling to keep up. The delay puts the government's AI plans and promised tech jobs at risk.