For seven decades, Denver Kanowski has observed the ebb and flow of resource extraction from his rural Queensland property. Now, a $31bn datacentre – intended to power Anthropic's Claude AI model – is proposed on a 725-hectare site 15 minutes from his home. The development, which would be Australia's largest, has reignited local wariness born from previous encounters with coal seam gas booms and busts.
The facility's peak power demand of 2.16GW represents approximately a quarter of Queensland's total electricity consumption. While the Singapore-based developer Zerra DC asserts that its cooling system is far less water-intensive than conventional datacentres, critics remain unconvinced. Concerns about energy consumption, noise pollution, and inappropriate siting have galvanised opposition. Travel agent Mordechai Winters helped launch a petition that has amassed over 21,500 signatures within weeks.
The backlash mirrors a broader trend in the United States, where three-quarters of the population oppose datacentres and more than 500 counties have enacted bans. Anthropic's proposal, situated on a former feedlot surrounded by gas wells and power plants, epitomises the tension between technological progress and environmental stewardship. Residents argue that the project prioritises corporate interests over community wellbeing, threatening to sever their connection to the land and a simpler way of life.
Sources: theguardian.com
The words in bold are from the article.
| 1. observed | a. caution |
| 2. extraction | b. rekindled |
| 3. proposed | c. mobilised |
| 4. reignited | d. accumulated |
| 5. wariness | e. usage |
| 6. consumption | f. claims |
| 7. asserts | g. suggested |
| 8. galvanised | h. embodies |
| 9. amassed | i. witnessed |
| 10. epitomises | j. removal |
1.i 2.j 3.g 4.b 5.a 6.e 7.f 8.c 9.d 10.h