UK AI Data center viability
I'm curious to get this subs thoughts on a new datacenter that's being proposed in the UK. I have no background with datacenters and very limited knowledge, so please correct any errors in calculations, terminology or assumptions I've made.
It's a 1.5GW DC to be built by Xlinks (link below) in rural England. My big query with this site is with the scale that's being proposed, the cost of running this in the UK is astronomical compared to similar sites in the US. Doing some quick napkins maths, assuming the site runs on average at 70% capacity, it would draw 9198 GW hours annually. At the current UK industry rate of 21.13 p/kwh, this would mean the site would cost approximately £1,943,537,400 to run per annum.
Compared to cost of electricity in the US of approximately 6p/kwh (I couldn't find a reliable source for an average cost across the whole of the US, so this might be on the low end),the cost per annum would be £459,900,000. Nearly £1.5 billion cheaper than the UK site.
My questions would be:
How would a site of this scale be able to compete with the US where costs are so much lower?
What would be the benefits of an AI datacentre of this scale operating in the UK? (in terms of ease of use, or reliability compared to DCs operating abroad)
Curious to get your thoughts on this
Proposed DC Campus: https://www.devondatacampus.com/
Current electrical rates UK: https://www.businessenergyuk.com/business-electricity/