Data Center in Upper Austria

Decision on Google’s Full Expansion Won’t Be Made Until 2027

The first phase of the server farm in Kronstorf is already under construction.(Bild: Wolfgang Spitzbart)

By the second half of 2027, it should be clear whether the planned full expansion of Google’s data center in Kronstorf, Upper Austria, will be approved. Meanwhile, arguments from supporters and critics continue to clash.

A 50-hectare server farm and investments totaling several billion euros—ever since it became known that the U.S. company Google is building one of its largest data centers in Europe in Kronstorf, Upper Austria, a dispute over the megaproject has erupted. The opposing sides:

• Environmental impact: Environmental organizations criticize the fact that Google is permitted to discharge 99 liters of water per second—used to cool the servers—back into the Enns River after it has been heated to 30 degrees. This stands in contrast to the valid water rights decision, which has already given the green light for the full expansion of the data center. According to this decision, the Enns River—which carries 100,000 to 200,000 liters per second—is warmed by the Google return flow by a barely measurable 0.005 degrees.
• Economic implications: Critics argue that the land use is disproportionate to the mere 100 jobs that will be created in Kronstorf as a result. Markus Achleitner (ÖVP), the state councilor for economic affairs, however, considers the project a “strategic milestone for Upper Austria,” as he emphasized on Tuesday: “With this, we are building the digital infrastructure of the 21st century.” More than 100 local businesses have already received contracts as a result of the construction, and the data center also reduces the loading times of digital processes. The fact is: If companies—such as industrial firms that rely on artificial intelligence—want to use the high-speed computing power in Kronstorf, they must rely on Google services.

• Transparency: The Greens and citizens’ initiatives, in particular, criticize the lack of transparency, for example regarding the exact electricity requirements. In fact, Google tends to be rather reluctant to share information.
• What’s Next: Construction of the first phase of the server farm has been approved by the authorities and has been underway since spring. The data center is scheduled to go into operation next year. In addition, the building and commercial law procedures for the full expansion of the data center requested by Google are currently underway. State Councilor Achleitner expects decisions to be made in the second half of 2027.