October 2026
7.5 Data-center projects and opposition
| Project | Backers / size | Status / opposition | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pecém, Caucaia (CE), TikTok/ByteDance | TikTok: more than R$200bn, including R$108bn in equipment to 2035; operating from 2027; 100% renewable, water reuse. g1 reports "R$ 580 bilhões" (an unreconciled discrepancy). 200 MW in a ZPE (export-processing zone). Built by Omnia; wind power deal with Casa dos Ventos (US$2bn). | MPF and DPU civil action (MPF release dated 10 Sept 2026) against Omnia and Semace; the state of Ceará and Caucaia were later added as defendants. It seeks to block operation until the Anacé people get free, prior and informed consultation (ILO 169) and a full EIA/Rima is done. Licensing used a simplified report (RAS). The site is about 2 km from the Lagamar do Cauípe APA, which overlaps an Anacé land under Funai study. An MPF-commissioned expert report called the RAS "tecnicamente inadequado e insuficiente". Semace says there are no norms for data centers. The Anacé had sued earlier (2025). | [V] TikTok; [V] MPF; [V] g1; [V] Folha; [V] Rest of World; Casa dos Ventos [V-s] (Reuters 401) |
| Rio AI City (Olympic Park/Barra) | Elea (controlled by I Squared Capital since Apr 2026; Piemonte 33%). On 8 Jun 2026 at Web Summit Rio, Mayor Eduardo Cavaliere and Elea CEO Alessandro Lombardi announced Elea's US$550m investment and an MoU with CCPar. 1.5 GW initially, up to 3 GW by 2032. Elea's plan is about US$10bn; R$2.5bn near term. | No organised opposition found [U] | [V] Prefeitura; [V] Valor Intl |
| Scala AI City, Eldorado do Sul (RS) | Scala (DigitalBridge). It requested 5 GW by 2033 (not authorised). 1,800 MW granted, which the assembly report says is "40% superiores ao consumo médio residencial do RS". | Governor Eduardo Leite (PSD) promised simplified licensing in a 2024 protocol of intentions. No public hearings or prior consultation. The CNDH visited in late March 2026 and recommends a national regulatory framework. A state-assembly subcommittee report (26 Mar 2026) flags energy, environmental and political impacts. | [V] Brasil de Fato; [V] Matinal; [V] FNDC/CNDH; 2025 origin [V-s] (Intercept Brasil 403); "77,760 m³/day" [U] (not found in the source) |
| Paracatu (MG), 1 GW | Atlas Renewable Energy (owned by a BlackRock arm); R$35bn; partial operation planned for Dec 2027. Atlas has also applied for 1 GW in Janaúba. | The council and residents learned of it from reporters. About 80% of the municipality lies in declared water-conflict areas. It could use up to 1.2 million L/day even at the Redata efficiency threshold. Atlas calls it "very preliminary". At least 68 data centers are planned in 37 municipalities. The motive: absorbing curtailed solar output. | [V] Mongabay/Intercept Brasil, 10 Sept 2026 |
| Microsoft / AWS / Google, São Paulo | Microsoft R$14.7bn (announced 26 Sept 2024). AWS R$10.1bn (US$1.8bn) to 2034. Google Cloud "doubling" capacity by 2030. | Little local opposition reported [U] | [V] Microsoft; [V] AWS; [V] Bloomberg Línea |
| Redata, Lei 15.504 (15 Sept 2026) | Suspends PIS/Cofins/IPI and import duty on equipment; the suspension becomes a zero rate once conditions are met. Conditions: 100% renewable or low-emission power; WUE ≤ 0.05 L/kWh, measured annually; at least 10% of capacity for the domestic market, with export or own use barred where domestic demand goes unmet; 2% of benefited value into R&D, at least 40% of it in the North, Northeast and Centre-West. A 180-day cure period, after which suspension becomes cancellation. The "5-year" term in the research note was not found in the texts read. | No national environmental-licensing rule for data centers (Mongabay; Semace). PL 1.680/2025 is still in the Chamber [V-s]. | [V] Planalto; [V] Câmara |
| Chile, Google Cerrillos (Dataluna, US$200m) | The original design drew up to 169 L/s from the Santiago Central aquifer. The Second Environmental Court partly annulled the permit in Feb 2024; Google renounced it in Sept 2024 and redesigned for air cooling. | A new pertinence consultation (PERTI-2026-7923, filed 29 Jul 2026, shown "Resuelta" with no response date) asks to confirm that environmental review is not needed. Its outcome is not visible in the record [U]. OLCA and MOSACAT object. | [V] BioBio, 4 Sept 2026; [V] SEIA record |
| Uruguay, Google Canelones | Four neighbouring families appealed to the Environment Ministry over noise, landscape and lack of consultation. The original water figure ("7.6 million L/day") and the redesign figure are not in this source. | [V] El Observador; water figures [R] | |
| Mexico, Querétaro | Microsoft, AWS, Google and others | Drought and blackouts. Microsoft says its Querétaro sites used 40 million litres in FY2025 (BBC, 28 Aug 2025). Communities ask for water priority and public data. | [V] BBC; [V] Guardian 2024; [V] WIRED es; [V] Pulitzer |
| Argentina, Stargate (OpenAI + Sur Energy) | Letter of intent signed 10 Oct 2025 for up to US$25bn / 500 MW. For the Kargieman link see Direction 4. | A year on: no construction, no final investment decision, no RIGI filing. Mapuche opposition to Patagonian AI data centers [U] (not found in the sources read). | [V] Chequeado; [V-s] Letra P |
| Paraguay, X8 Cloud | USTDA-backed, near Asunción, on Itaipú power. Phase 1 ~US$8bn; target 5 GW. The CEO says the US work "also involves authorization to buy Nvidia GPUs". Also: Hive (US$400m), which cites Paraguay's alignment, and DFC/Taiwan talks for 10 MW. | — | [V] BNamericas |
| Colombia, Atlántico hyperscale | USTDA grant of US$1,002,285 for technical, financial and environmental feasibility studies. US-made or US-developed equipment; "USTDA assistance is available only to American companies". Barranquilla lands five submarine cables. | — | [V] USTDA, 29 Sept 2026; [V] Gobernación del Atlántico; [V] BNamericas |
Regional oversight.
- At an IACHR hearing (Aug 2026), groups from Chile, Mexico and the US asked for safeguards, including temporary moratoria. [V] Gaceta Ambiental, 17 Aug 2026
- The IACHR's rapporteur on economic and social rights (REDESCA) made similar recommendations in Feb 2026. [V-s] (OAS 403)