Environmental campaigner Erin Brockovich, best known for her legal battle against Pacific Gas and Electric Company in the 1990s, has set her sights on a new target: the secretive world of data centres. Speaking exclusively to UKPulse Media, she warned that the rapid proliferation of these facilities across Britain risks creating 'a hidden environmental crisis' unless operators are forced to publish detailed information about their resource consumption.
Data centres are the physical backbone of the digital economy, housing thousands of computer servers that power everything from streaming services to artificial intelligence models. In the UK, the sector is expanding at pace, with new facilities planned in Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire and the Midlands. Yet, critics say, their energy and water use remains opaque, with operators routinely citing commercial sensitivity to avoid disclosing figures. 'We are essentially building vast, energy-hungry factories in the dark,' Brockovich said. 'Local councils, residents and regulators have no idea what they are agreeing to.'
The campaign comes as the UK government consults on new planning rules for data centres, part of its broader Digital Infrastructure Strategy. The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has also begun examining data centre sustainability reporting, while the EU's AI Act — which applies to UK-based firms serving European customers — introduces new transparency requirements for the energy consumption of AI systems. 'There is a regulatory patchwork emerging, but it lacks teeth,' said Dr. Helena Whitfield, a technology policy researcher at the University of Cambridge. 'The industry has successfully argued that energy data is commercially sensitive, but that argument becomes harder to sustain when the public is bearing the cost of grid upgrades and water stress.'
For UK businesses, the implications are significant. Data centre costs are already rising, driven by energy price volatility and the growing demand for AI compute power. Greater transparency could force operators to invest in more efficient cooling systems, renewable energy procurement and water recycling — costs that may be passed down the supply chain. For consumers, the issue is more immediate: data centres already account for around 1 per cent of UK electricity demand, a figure that could rise sharply as AI adoption accelerates. 'Every time you use an AI chatbot or stream a video in 4K, there is a data centre burning electricity somewhere,' Brockovich noted. 'The public has a right to know how much.'
The campaign has drawn support from some local councillors and environmental groups, but the data centre industry has pushed back. TechUK, the industry trade body, has argued that voluntary reporting schemes are sufficient and that mandatory disclosure could harm competitiveness. A spokesperson said operators are already subject to strict environmental permitting rules. Brockovich remains unconvinced: 'Secrecy is a choice, not a necessity. If these facilities are as clean and efficient as they claim, then publishing the data should be easy.'