Whether we are paying a bill, making an appointment, watching a movie, accessing government services or using artificial intelligence, most of us rely on digital services multiple times every day.
The computers behind those services once sat under our desks or in server rooms in office buildings. As more of our lives and work move online, more information needs to be stored and processed.
That is why more data centres are being built. They house the computers that ensure the apps and services we use are available, secure and responsive when we need them. Running them together in this way can be more than seven times as energy efficient as running separate servers in offices.
Our business - AirTrunk - started in Sydney and builds and operates data centres across the Asia-Pacific region, and we're proposing to build one in Kurri Kurri. This suburb has an established industrial base and the infrastructure needed to support the proposal.
But those factors do not answer all the questions, such as what it means for Kurri Kurri. If a large development were proposed near my home, I'd want to know how it would affect local jobs, businesses, energy, water and the area's future.
Over the past few months, we have spoken with residents, local organisations and businesses to understand what's top of mind. I want to share some of what we've heard and how it is shaping the proposal. The proposal is for a two-storey data centre on part of the former Kurri Kurri smelter site. It would connect directly to existing high-voltage power infrastructure next to the site, and use land previously occupied by the smelter.
We have had a lot of questions about noise and proximity to residents. This is a big reason why we selected the old smelter site. The nearest homes are more than 500 metres away, and the site is in the heart of an industrial zone between a power station and the four-lane Hunter Expressway.
But distance alone does not answer every concern. Noise from the facility, including equipment and generator testing, will be assessed as part of the planning process, with measures included in the design to keep it within the required limits. We'll also put a lot of thought and effort into the exterior design and landscaping.
If approved, the centre will provide more than 350 ongoing jobs for decades, and several thousand jobs during construction. We know this because we are a long-term operator of data centres, and know that we need a lot of ongoing support, ranging from trades to maintenance, security and a range of support services.
We are keen to make those jobs available to locals, and are working with trade colleges, TAFE, local businesses and our procurement teams to make sure we invest in pathways and job placements to provide every opportunity for local participation.
People have also asked whether the project will add to their power bills. It won't. AirTrunk will pay its way for all the costs to connect to the grid. We are speaking with renewable energy developers about unlocking new projects in the Hunter Renewable Energy Zone and other parts of the state. Beyond that, we've committed to launching a Community Energy Program that would fund a community battery for Kurri residents, resulting in a $200 annual deduction from each participating household's electricity bill.
Water is another question we hear regularly. The proposed centre would use air-cooling and consume minimal water during operations.
If AirTrunk is going to operate in Kurri Kurri for decades, we should make a lasting commitment to public facilities that will benefit residents. That is why we have been working with Cessnock City Council on a proposed contribution of more than $37 million for district infrastructure, including more than $12 million to support the proposed Loxford District Sporting and Multipurpose Community Facility.
We'll keep speaking with residents, businesses and local organisations about jobs, training, community facilities, energy and water. In October, the AirTrunk team and I will be at the Kurri Kurri Visitor Information Centre. Come by if you have a question or want to share your view. There is more to work through, and we'll keep people informed as the proposal develops.
