# Anthropic plans a $31bn datacentre in rural Queensland to power Claude

Digest AI · Business & Funding · published 2026-10-04T14:00:29Z

Canonical: https://digestai.news/story/anthropic-plans-a-31bn-datacentre-in-rural-queensland-to-power-claude

## Summary

Anthropic plans to build a $31 billion datacentre on a 725-hectare feedlot site near Kogan, Queensland, to power its Claude large language model. The project, proposed by Singapore-based developer Zerra DC, would require a peak power capacity of 2.16GW, equivalent to about a quarter of Queensland’s total state energy demand. Local residents, including Denver Kanowski and Mordechai Winters, have expressed strong opposition, citing environmental concerns and fears of a boom-bust cycle similar to past coal seam gas developments. A petition against the datacentre has gathered over 21,500 signatures, mostly from the local area, within weeks of the proposal going public. The Queensland government has announced it will take over assessment of datacentre applications from local councils under a new planning framework, though the Dalby mayor says council did not expect this shift. Anthropic aims to begin using the centre as early as next year, but no final approval has been granted.

## Key points

- Anthropic plans a $31bn datacentre in Queensland to power Claude
- The facility would require 2.16GW peak power, about a quarter of state demand
- Over 21,500 people have signed a local petition opposing the project

## Why it matters

The project highlights growing tensions between AI infrastructure expansion and local communities, especially in regions with histories of resource extraction booms and busts.

## Sources

1. [Rural Queenslanders have seen gas projects come and go – but a 725-hectare datacentre poses a whole new level of ‘stupidity’](https://theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/oct/05/queensland-data-centre-anthropic-western-downs-dalby) (The Guardian AI, 2026-10-04)

## Cite

Digest AI, "Anthropic plans a $31bn datacentre in rural Queensland to power Claude", 4 October 2026, https://digestai.news/story/anthropic-plans-a-31bn-datacentre-in-rural-queensland-to-power-claude

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