🇵🇱 Polish, 18 October 2026, data center withdrawal
Microsoft Withdraws from AI Data Center Project in Essex Due to Power Supply Issues
Microsoft pulls out of a planned AI data center project in Loughton, Essex, due to concerns over power supply.
The project, announced in 2025, was touted as the UK’s largest sovereign AI data center by the Starmer government. Microsoft was expected to be a key tenant of the facility, but the company has now withdrawn due to concerns over power supply.
The issue has been ongoing, with The Guardian reporting in March that the site was still under construction and that there were problems with the power grid.
Nscale, the company behind the project, says it is still committed to the project and is exploring alternative power sources and other expansion options in the UK.