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Google's hyperscale AI datacentre project near Vizakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh

Source article: Broken promises, confiscated land: the hyperscale AI datacentre being built in a tiny Indian village

When the government officials arrived in Tarluvada last year, they came with abundant promises. Google, one of the world’s richest and most powerful tech companies, would soon be bringing a “golden opportunity” to this tiny village in south India: a $15bn AI datacentre. The project, being built in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, is set to be Google’s largest “hyperscale” AI datacentre outside the US and would, officials said, make the village of Tarluvada into a world-famous tech hub. Jobs, usually scarce in…

By the Truvace desk2 min read1 sourceJournalismTRV-2026-1563· cite & verify
Broken promises, confiscated land: the hyperscale AI datacentre being built in a tiny Indian village
Trace impact readingContested
P 57The P score combines the specificity and measured human impact of the grounded problem claim with the strength of this Trace’s cited sources.

Both sides are scored from claims and sources, not community votes.

G 58The G score combines the specificity and measured human impact of the grounded gain claim with the strength of this Trace’s cited sources.

In brief

Google, working with the Adani Group, is building a hyperscale AI datacentre campus of three sites around Vizakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh. It was publicly announced at 1GW, but state environmental clearances reportedly allow 2.51GW. Residents of Tarluvada say they were promised jobs and generous compensation, and now report land loss, deforestation and unanswered questions.

The case shows how AI infrastructure can pit state growth ambitions against local environmental and economic security. Whether the promised jobs, clean energy and air-cooling claims hold remains unresolved, as do the pending legal challenges to the quick approval.

Main points

  1. The project is described as Google's largest hyperscale AI datacentre outside the US, valued at $15bn.
  2. Approved capacity of 2.51GW is cited as upwards of 30% of Andhra Pradesh's current annual energy consumption.
  3. Clearances were issued in nine days with no public consultation, and three petitions have gone to the National Green Tribunal.
  4. Subsidies and incentives to Google are estimated at 220bn rupees ($2.2bn) over 20 years.
  5. Google says air-cooling means no impact on local drinking water, while locals fear heat, drought and dried-out farmland.

The gain

State officials and Google say the AI datacentre will anchor a digital ecosystem and generate thousands of jobs around Vizakhapatnam, though this is a claim rather than a measured result.

The problem

Environmental clearance reportedly covers 2.51GW, more than double the announced 1GW, with no public hearing, while villagers say land was taken against their will and fear heat, water and livelihood harm.

The rundown

Officials arrived in Tarluvada last year promising jobs, rising real estate prices and generous land compensation. Villagers, who had little knowledge of AI or datacentres, say they were not told of pollution, water or heat risks when land was measured. Some allege police threats and detentions of protesters, and activists allege takedowns of videos and social media pages, which the government did not answer.

On energy, the article notes 75% of India's grid runs on coal despite Google's pledge to help generate new clean energy. Activists fear higher fossil fuel emissions. Temperatures in the village reach about 45C in summer, and more than 100 acres of deforestation are required for the project.

The state frames the datacentres as essential to India's digital competitiveness, citing that India generates nearly 20% of the world's data but hosts about 3% of datacentres. A further 1GW datacentre by Reliance Industries was approved late last year. Google says it has engaged deeply with communities and expects no impact on locals.

What this doesn’t fix

The article's claims about harm and benefit are largely allegations, projections and competing statements; legal challenges are pending and the government did not respond to some allegations.

Sources

  1. JournalismThe Guardian2026-09-26

The debate