The Trump administration wants underwater datacenters. One Great Lakes non-profit is already preparing
Summary
The Trump administration is reportedly considering four sealed underwater datacenters off Maine and Alaska, while underwater facilities already operate off China. No such project has been proposed for the Great Lakes, but a regional nonprofit is raising concerns about heat, leaks and contamination in the freshwater system.Key Facts
- Two underwater datacenters are operating off China’s coast.
- Reports say the administration is considering four sealed-pod datacenters off Maine and Alaska.
- Microsoft tested an underwater datacenter off northern Scotland in 2018; the project ended after two years.
- Microsoft reported 87% fewer server failures in the underwater facility than in comparable land-based datacenters.
- The Lake Erie Foundation says heat from a datacenter could worsen harmful algal blooms and affect aquatic life.
- The foundation also raised concerns about leaks or contamination from batteries, fluids and electrical equipment.
- Ohio’s state EPA rejected a proposal last July that would have made it easier for datacenter companies to discharge wastewater into public waterways.
- New York is the only Great Lakes state with a statewide pause on datacenter construction; it is set to end in mid-2027.
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