Northern Territory EPA pauses the 19,150-hectare Project Ares data centre over gaps in its environmental plans

The NT EPA's objection is to the plans. Responding to Energy North's environmental management plans, the regulator said there was "insufficient information on most environmental aspects" and that it was not confident the company's measures would be effective ^[8]. The groundwater cap works out to about 11 million litres a day, every day of the year ^[20]. The campus covers roughly 191 square kilometres ^[21].

Energy North accepts the finding. "One of the NT EPA's key concerns was that our measures to avoid and manage potential impacts weren't yet developed in detail," vice-president Daniel Hunter said ^[14]. "That's a fair assessment, and it's exactly the gap the EIS is designed to fill, with management plans and specific, measurable commitments, backed by detailed technical studies," he said ^[15]. On Hunter's account, the pause puts the project on the route it asked for. He said the company had proposed assessment via an EIS in its original application ^[16].

The power design needs the closer look. "It will generate all its own power ... so it won't draw on the existing electricity grid," Hunter said ^[1]. Staying off the grid means the campus adds no load to the existing network. It also puts the generating plant's emissions and fuel supply inside the project's own assessment. I'd expect the EIS to be tested on power as closely as on water. Hunter named both concerns: "We know the community has real questions about water and gas. We'll be engaging with the community on those questions, and the EIS will address them in detail." ^[17]

The ABC report covers one proposal. It does not establish a common approval test for Australian data-centre builds. The Albanese government is working on national data centre standards to be legislated in 2027 ^[11]. According to the ABC, the laws could include mandates to prioritise recycled water and to force AI companies to reserve computing capacity for Australian businesses and researchers ^[12]. If legislated, a recycled-water priority would apply directly to a campus planned around groundwater. In a separate statement, the NT EPA said the approvals process may be affected by the new laws ^[13]. "As policy and industry evolve, requirements of proponents and environmental impact assessment processes will also evolve," the statement read ^[13].

Environment Centre NT's Bree Ahrens welcomed the decision and said no development should take place until "robust" national laws are in place ^[18]. She said people across the territory were "really concerned about the potential impacts" on water, climate and habitats ^[19]. Hunter said Project Ares would align with the federal government's proposed new laws ^[2].