Data Centers Are Hiding How Much Water and Power They Consume

AI data centers consume significant power and water, necessitating extensive infrastructure upgrades. There is ongoing uncertainty regarding whether residential ratepayers are unfairly subsidizing these costs without receiving direct benefits. Furthermore, despite legal requirements in Europe for data centers to report their energy and water consumption, transparency remains low. Currently, fewer than one in four facilities provide public figures, suggesting that many operators are hiding the true extent of their resource usage from the public.