Anthropic Signs A$31.9 Billion Data Center Project in Queensland, Australia

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On September 16, Anthropic signed its first data center lease agreement in Australia, securing space in Phase 1 of Western Downs Digital Park in Queensland. The park is being developed by Singapore-based data center developer Zerra DC, with a planned total investment of approximately A$31.9 billion. It is located about 37 kilometers northwest of Dalby and approximately 250 kilometers from Brisbane. Anthropic plans to use the park's computing resources starting in 2027, primarily for Claude model inference operations.

Western Downs Digital Park is planned to cover approximately 725.5 hectares, and a development application has been submitted to the Western Downs Regional Council. The current proposed plan includes 4 AI data centers, each with an IT load of approximately 360 MW, totaling approximately 1.44 GW; the project engineering documents also reserve space for another 2 data centers of the same scale, and once the park is fully built, peak capacity could reach up to 2.16 GW.

The park is planned to be built in phases, with Phase 1 expected to become operational in 2027, and the overall construction period is approximately 4 to 6 years. Anthropic's signing this time corresponds to a Phase 1 lease, rather than independently building the entire A$31.9 billion park. Its lease agreement still requires approval from Australia's Foreign Investment Review Board, and the overall development plan for Western Downs Digital Park is simultaneously undergoing local government planning approval.

Phase 1 of the project is planned to include approximately 36,000 square meters of data center space, along with a battery-supported power quality regulation system and 540 MVA transformer facilities. The park site is located near the Braemar substation and multiple existing power generation facilities, allowing it to leverage local high-voltage grid connection conditions. The project plans to use air cooling technology and closed-loop cooling systems throughout to reduce water demand during the operational phase.

At full load, Western Downs Digital Park's peak electricity demand could reach up to approximately 2.16 GW, corresponding to a power consumption scale of approximately 47 GWh per day. The project developer plans to configure power resources through existing grid connections, on-site battery systems, and long-term power purchase agreements. Anthropic plans to bear the grid connection costs associated with its used capacity.

Anthropic's computing deployment in Queensland this time is primarily for AI inference, that is, processing Claude user queries, rather than for large model training. The company had previously engaged with other Australian states regarding large-scale data center capacity, including potential computing infrastructure demand of up to 5 GW, and this Western Downs agreement has become its first officially implemented data center lease project in Australia.

Subsequent project milestones include the Western Downs Regional Council completing its review of the development application, the foreign investment review process, Phase 1 construction, and the implementation of power connections and supporting energy facilities. The park plans to begin phased delivery starting in 2027.