Overview
- Multiple outlets reported on Wednesday that Anthropic has signed a long-term lease with Singapore developer Zerra DC for the Western Downs Digital Park, giving the company access to roughly 2.1–2.16 gigawatts of capacity.
- The campus is planned as a giga-scale, inference-focused facility to run Anthropic’s Claude model rather than to train new models and is expected to begin bringing capacity online in 2027.
- Zerra DC says it will seek long-term renewable power purchase agreements, cover grid connection costs and install battery systems for power quality and grid stability, though initial stages could rely on nearby gas generation according to planning documents.
- Local residents and groups have raised concerns about energy use, water and environmental impacts and loss of farmland, while state leaders promote jobs and lower power prices as benefits for the region.
- The agreement is announced but not final: the development application is under assessment at Western Downs Regional Council and the lease remains subject to Foreign Investment Review Board clearance and other approvals.