Launch of UK’s ‘largest AI supercomputer’ delayed by power supply problems

The ambitious Loughton-based AI supercomputer project, once touted as the UK’s largest sovereign AI datacentre, faces significant delays. Originally scheduled for a 2027 launch, the site is now unlikely to become operational until the early to mid-2030s due to critical power supply constraints. UK Power Networks has indicated that the local grid cannot support the facility's 90MW energy demand—equivalent to the consumption of 315,000 homes—without extensive national infrastructure upgrades. This development highlights a broader crisis in the UK energy sector, where hundreds of datacentre projects are currently stuck in a connection queue. While developer Nscale remains committed to the project and is exploring onsite power generation, the delay underscores the growing tension between the rapid expansion of AI infrastructure and the limitations of existing national power grids.