UK departments at odds over energy demands of AI datacentres

Discrepancy in forecasts raises questions over government planning for net zero

Aisha DownSun 26 Apr 2026 08.00 BSTShare

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One vision of the UK’s future involves a decarbonised economy powered by clean, renewable energy. Another involves making the UK an AI superpower.

The government departments responsible for these two visions do not appear to have agreed on their numbers.