Firmus gains reluctant approval for 288MW AI data centre in Tasmania

A Singapore-headquartered tech firm just got the green light to build one of the largest AI-focused data centres in the Southern Hemisphere, and the locals are not exactly throwing a parade. George Town Council in Tasmania approved Firmus Technologies’ 288MW “AI factory” on August 25 with a 6-1 vote, overriding substantial community opposition that included 349 written submissions and close to 6,000 signatures on an electronic petition. The facility will sit at Long Reach in the Bell Bay industrial precinct, on land once earmarked for the now-defunct Gunns pulp mill. What Firmus is actually building The project scope is significant. Two data halls, office and workshop spaces, a substation, cooling infrastructure, and, most controversially, 276 diesel backup generators. That last detail has drawn sharp criticism from locals worried about air quality, noise, and the irony of running diesel generators in a state that prides itself on renewable hydroelectric power. Firmus says the facility is designed for high-performance computing workloads tied to advanced AI model training. The company plans to use direct-to-chip liquid cooling, a technology that circulates coolant directly over pro...