AI data centres to self-administer funds in Tasmanian community deal

Detailed summary

Tasmanian data centre proponents would self-administer their own community benefit funds under a proposal from the state government.

Further details have been provided on Tasmania's AI data centre deal that would compel companies to pay into community benefit funds.

Businesses are required to pay $3,000 per megawatt of contracted energy each year.

Tasmanian data centre proponents would each run their own community benefit funds under a proposal from the state government.

Premier Jeremy Rockliff announced his government's statement of expectations for data centres on Friday, which includes rules for the community funds.

Once a facility is operational, proponents would be required to pay into their own funds, at a rate of $3,000 per megawatt (MW) of contracted energy each year.

For Tasmania's largest AI data centre company, Firmus, its 104MW facility at St Leonards would contribute $312,000 per year.

It also has a proposed 288MW centre planned for Long Reach, near Bell Bay, and a 40MW centre at Wesley Vale in the state's north-west.

Last month, Premier Rockliff announced plans for a singular local community benefit fund, but did not release the cost or structure.

The premier and Industry Minister Felix Ellis spoke of a single fund governed by "local people" and "local representatives" who would allocate grants to "community groups and other eligible organisations".

Opening of the article, excerpted from ABC Business. To read the rest, open the article on the publisher's site.