Maharashtra pushes data hubs while residents in Thane protest upcoming Amazon facility

Maharashtra is expanding its green data centre parks policy even as large facilities continue to rely heavily on the conventional power grid through open-access green energy accounting. The State Load Despatch Centre found that Mumbai and Navi Mumbai's 30 big data centres operate as stable loads without adding grid distortions. However, experts explain that standalone solar or wind plants cannot directly power these facilities due to high land costs and round-the-clock reliability needs, meaning green power purchases function mostly as an accounting mechanism rather than direct physical delivery.

Policy Changes

In its updated June 2026 scheme, the Maharashtra government increased the number of green integrated data centre parks from 3 to 20 and expanded their scope across the state. At the same time, the state cut its mandatory green energy requirement for these parks from 100% down to 51%. Companies investing up to 30,000 crore rupees will receive a tariff concession of one rupee per unit for 10 years, while investments up to 60,000 crore rupees get the concession for 20 years.

Resident Protests

In Balkum, Thane, residents under the banner 'Wake Up Thanekars' are opposing an upcoming 422 MW Amazon data centre near schools, hospitals, and homes. Resident Himani Verma stated that locals already face water and power cuts and fear the facility will worsen shortages while generating severe noise and exhaust pollution from its 193 diesel generator sets. Dr. Sanjeevani of Lokraj Sangathan noted that research shows land surface temperatures around AI data centres can rise by two to nine degrees Celsius. Jatin Kothare added that residents met with the Thane municipal commissioner, where Amazon stated it would use recycled water from city sewage treatment plants.

Context

Data centres require massive amounts of electricity and water for cooling to run continuously without downtime. While companies often partner with renewable energy providers to meet corporate green targets, their actual physical power is still drawn from the regional electrical grid, creating local debates over resource allocation and environmental impact.