Google opens Waltham Cross data centre as part of £5 billion UK investment

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Google has announced the opening of a new data centre in Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, as a cornerstone of its two-year, £5 billion investment in the UK.

Set to be unveiled today by Chancellor Rachel Reeves, the state-of-the-art facility is designed to meet the increasing demand for Google’s AI-powered services, including Google Cloud, Search, and Maps, which are used by millions across the UK.

The £5 billion capital injection over the next two years will fuel the UK’s AI economy, with a particular focus on research and development at Google DeepMind. The investment is projected to create 8,250 new AI-driven jobs annually.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves hailed the announcement as “a powerful vote of confidence in the UK economy,” emphasizing its role in creating jobs and driving long-term economic growth.

Google also announced it has selected Shell as its 24/7 Carbon-Free Energy Manager in the UK, a pioneering agreement which will contribute to grid stability and the UK’s energy transition.

Shell will manage a power portfolio for Google that addresses the intermittency of clean energy generation through access to battery energy storage systems (BESS). Shell will optimise Google’s existing clean energy portfolio, including the offtake from its long-term agreement with ENGIE from the Moray West project in Scotland, storing surplus energy when production is high and releasing stored power back to the grid when production is low.

This partnership, which utilizes battery energy storage systems, is projected to help Google’s UK operations run at or near 95% carbon-free energy by 2026. The facility itself is designed to be highly energy-efficient, using advanced air-cooling technology and equipped to support off-site heat recovery to warm local homes and businesses.

In addition to the physical infrastructure, Google is also investing in skills development through a new Community Fund and by supporting local charities to provide job-ready AI training for Brits.

Says Ruth Porat, President and Chief Investment Officer, Alphabet and Google:

“With today’s announcement, Google is deepening our roots in the UK and helping support Great Britain’s potential with AI to add £400 billion to the economy by 2030 while also enhancing critical social services.

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