AdaniConneX Visakhapatnam Data Centres To Use Air Cooling, Limit Freshwater Consumption

AdaniConneX’s planned data centre campuses in Visakhapatnam will use air-based cooling systems to keep freshwater consumption across three sites below the volume of an Olympic-sized swimming pool, according to project details.

The campuses at Mudasarlova and Tarluvada form part of a proposed development with a capacity of around 1 gigawatt, supporting Visakhapatnam’s ambition to become a major hub for artificial intelligence (AI) and digital infrastructure.

Unlike conventional data centres that rely on evaporative cooling and cooling towers, the proposed facilities will use air cooling to reduce freshwater requirements.

Sources said around 80 per cent of the limited freshwater used across the three sites would serve landscaping, kitchens and worker facilities.

The campuses would recycle and reuse water on-site and receive supplies through dedicated industrial connections rather than municipal lines.

The project would follow a zero-discharge policy for domestic wastewater. An on-site sewage treatment plant would treat wastewater for reuse in landscape irrigation and flushing.

No treated wastewater would enter the Mudasarlova Reservoir, sources said.

The measures aim to reduce pressure on local water resources, including the reservoir and adjoining Kambalakonda Wildlife Sanctuary.

Environmental activists have raised concerns about the project’s proximity to sensitive areas, water requirements and environmental assessments.

The Andhra Pradesh government has defended the investment, while IT Minister Nara Lokesh has dismissed concerns over resource requirements as misinformation. Google said it plans to deploy advanced air-cooling technology.

Visakhapatnam is attracting investment from Reliance Industries, which is developing a data centre campus near Bhogapuram and Polipalli, and Bharti Airtel, which is investing in fibre networks and undersea cable infrastructure.

AdaniConneX, a joint venture between Adani Enterprises and US-based EdgeConneX, is developing a nationwide network of hyperscale data centres to meet growing demand for cloud computing, AI and digital services.