Trinidad and Tobago signs agreements with US companies that pave the way for data centers
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (AP) — Trinidad and Tobago Signed agreements paving the way for US companies to begin laying the groundwork for large-scale installations Data centers in Caribbean countryraises concerns about potential energy consumption and environmental impacts.
The memorandum of understanding with Florida-based Hummingbird AI Holdings and New York-based Ernst and Young LLP was signed on Friday, according to a statement from the office of Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar. These are the first such agreements with a Caribbean country.
The agreement with Ernst and Young LLP will form the framework for cooperation in the development of large-scale data centers, with the company planning to “partner with third parties in the development” of a 300-megawatt data center, the statement said.
The agreement with Hummingbird AI Holdings establishes the framework for “preliminary collaboration, due diligence and coordination” for the proposed 150 MW AI infrastructure and data center facility.
Data centers are listed in megawatts to indicate their electrical power capacity to operate at peak load. The 300 MW center has an electrical capacity of 300 million watts.
The deals have raised questions online about the centers’ environmental impact.
Prominent social activist Dr. Wayne Kublalsingh told The Associated Press he is concerned about the energy consumption of the planned data centers.
The government is “trying to deliver something that looks like development but is not development,” he said.
Trinidad and Tobago has long grappled with chronic water shortages and intermittent supplies, raising concerns that large, water-intensive data centers could add additional strain to an already overstretched system.
The majority of the twin island nation operates on water schedules set by the state’s utility company. Most homes have water tanks because the amount of water in the taps can be as rare as once a week. In some cases, communities went weeks without water supply by the state company.
Data centers could account for nearly 3% of the world’s projected electricity use by 2030, at 935 trillion watt-hours. The latest report of the United Nations University. According to the report, the environmental footprint of data centers is already competitive with some of the world’s largest countries.
Electricity supply in Trinidad and Tobago has improved over the years. Although some parts of the country still experience occasional power outages, these are rare.
The government of Trinidad and Tobago has signed a third agreement with another American company, Pinnacle Steel and Vanadium Corporation, which recently acquired a local iron and steel mill. Government officials said the agreement allows for further discussions on restarting the plant.
The three initiatives together are expected to create more than 5,000 jobs, the government said.
The Prime Minister has been a strong supporter of the Trump administration. His office said the U.S. government played a facilitating role for parties involved in the agreements.
“They will invest here to work on data centers, two for data centers and one to help us rejuvenate and rebuild our steel industry,” Persad-Bissessar said Friday night at a US independence anniversary celebration ceremony hosted by the US Embassy in Trinidad and Tobago.
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