Moratorium on new data centres to be lifted soon; operators seek green edge

Demand up during pandemic, but specialised cooling systems, excess power usage may involve higher costs

Yong Jun Yuan

Published Wed, Jan 19, 2022 · 05:50 AM

Singapore

SINGAPORE is set to lift its data centre moratorium in the coming weeks, according to people with knowledge of the matter. The moratorium has been in place since 2019 and no new data centre construction projects have been approved since then. New regulations are also expected to target the energy efficiency of data centres.

In a written reply to a parliamentary query on Feb 1, 2021, then-Minister for Trade & Industry Chan Chun Sing said the government had been in consultation with the industry during the moratorium on ideas to "enable their growth in a sustainable manner".

On Jan 11, Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong said in a written reply to a parliamentary query that the government has completed the review. The Economic Development Board and Infoc…