Google has announced a £5 billion ($6.8 billion) investment over the next two years to expand its UK data centers and AI infrastructure. Central to the plan is the new Waltham Cross data center, near London. This comes alongside upgrades to existing sites to support the growing compute-intensive AI workloads, cloud services, and other operations.
Project Factsheet
Project: Google’s UK Waltham Cross Facility, AI infrastructure & other data centers investment
Investment: £5 billion over 2 years
Location: Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, UK. Additional wider UK site upgrades
Key Features: Decarbonization and sustainability
Partnerships: Shell energy
Carbon Goal: 95% carbon-free by 2026
Jobs Impact: 8,250 UK jobs annually
Strategic Drivers: AI compute demand, UK tech investment push, energy security & decarbonization
Timeline and Next Steps
2025 Q4: Site preparation and initial infrastructure upgrades
2026: Deployment of AI-centered data racks, power optimization systems
2026 onwards: Full-scale operation at Waltham Cross facility with 95% carbon-free energy
Google’s move is part of a broader US-UK tech investment push, complementing nuclear and hydrogen energy projects announced after recent U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to Britain.
The Waltham Cross Data Center Facility Central to Google UK Investment
Google’s Waltham Cross data center facility in Hertfordshire is designed with air cooling technology to minimize water use. It also incorporates waste heat recovery systems to supply local district heating.
Additionally, partnership with Shell secures low-carbon energy, aligning with 95% carbon‑free operations target by 2026.
Altogether, the project is expected to create approximately 8,250 jobs annually in construction, engineering, and the supply chain.
Herfordshire is also not new to the prospect of housing Europe’s largest and costly data centers. A £3.75bn data center in the M25 Green belt site by developer, DC01UK, was recently approved by Hertsmere Borough’s Council’s planning committee in June this year.
Waltham Cross Facility Factsheet
Developer: Google UK Ltd
Partners and Contractors: Shell for clean energy supply, and local contractors for civil & electrical works
Site Area: About 100 acres combined with existing campus upgrades
Planned Capacity: Tens of MW IT load for hyperscale computing. Specific rack count still undisclosed
Power Supply: Grid-connection, Shell PPAs and on-site energy storage for flexible demand
Sustainability Features: Air cooling technology, waste heat recovery, carbon emission reduction and energy efficient infrastructure deployment
Jobs Impact: Approx. 8,250 jobs annually in UK supply chain and construction
Strategic Drivers: Booming AI and cloud services demand, decarbonization and sustainability, UK-US tech investment ties
Planning Status: Approvals granted. Environmental and local authority engagement underway
Industry Impact of Google’s $6.8 Billion Investment to UK Data Centers and AI Infrastructure
The commitment by Google to invest $6.8 billion in the new Waltham data center and AI infrastructure comes amid rising AI demand and compute needs in the UK, and around the globe.
Large data centers such as the planned Waltham Cross require steady MW-scale electricity. This drives engagements with power overseers such as National Grid and Ofgem for transmission, regulation, and energy-related project reinforcements.
Google’s approach of combining PPAs, on-site storage, and flexible demand systems goes to illustrates how hyperscale data centers can also incorporate energy intensity with sustainability.
Key Quote
A spokesperson from Google also highlighted the UK as a go-to place for AI and cloud technology investors saying, “Google’s investment underscores the UK’s position as a global hub for AI and cloud innovation.”
“By combining advanced design, sustainable energy solutions, and strong local engagement, we are ensuring our data centers contribute positively to the communities and economy.” The spokesperson added.
