Quercus warns two Abrantes data centres could use 19 times local power

Environmental group Quercus warns that two planned data centres in Abrantes, promoted by Hyperion near Alvega and EDC ONE at the former Pego thermal plant, could push annual electricity consumption to about 2.8 TWh at full capacity, nearly 19 times the municipality's current usage. Even at 30% average operation, combined consumption could reach 841 GWh, 5.7 times Abrantes's 2024 total. Quercus is demanding environmental impact studies before licensing decisions, citing risks to water resources, given projected scarcity in the Tejo basin, plus cumulative effects on land, landscape and the regional power grid.