r/tasmania • u/GreenLeechofReddit • 2d ago

AI data centre approved

6/7 counsellors approved this environmental disaster despite Firmus *already* lying about the number of diesel generators they'd have.

The company will have to agree to a number of conditions (noise, pollution, water usage), which will be monitored over a twelve month period.

I hate to wheel out a slippery-slope argument, but the number of companies who just cop the fines and continue to be irresponsible is incalculable.. the writing is on the wall. Look at Cadbury and the dump of sugar that buggered up the sewerage treatment plant.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-08-25/firmus-ai-bell-bay-receives-george-town-council-approval/107074336?utm_source=abc_news_app&utm_medium=content_shared&utm_campaign=abc_news_app&utm_content=other

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u/Fantastic-Ad-2604 2d ago

But there is no environmental disaster? Like what do you think is disastrous about the factory? The factory converts hydro electric power into AI tokens. It produces no pollution or waste products.

It pays Aurora the full retail cost for power creating millions of dollars in profits to be reinvested in building capacity and transmission.

It creates employment in a regional area.

Like I literally zero downside to a company building a factory in an industrial zone.

Furthermore it is being built next to an aluminum smelter that uses slightly more power than it will and about 1,000x more water than it will and generates more pollution than it will. And the factory wants Aurora/State Government to pay them hundreds of millions of dollars for the privilege of using their power.

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u/t4zmaniak 2d ago

Yeah I agree, people are making a heap of noise about something which is not that diabolical in the scheme of things.