France faces opposition to massive AI data center projects

Major data center projects in France are facing significant local opposition despite receiving regulatory approvals. In Alsace, an investigating commissioner has given a favorable opinion for a €2 billion Microsoft AI data center project located between Petit-Landau and Hombourg. Although the project is expected to create 200 jobs and begin construction in 2029, 80% of the 665 citizen contributions during the public inquiry were opposed. Concerns center on the consumption of 1,500 GWh of electricity annually and the use of 5,000 m³ of drinking water, as well as the conversion of 35 hectares of agricultural land.

Simultaneously, in the Île-de-France region near Melun, authorities have authorized the construction of the Campus IA project in Fouju. This massive development, supported by a €50 billion investment from an international consortium including the Emirati fund MGX, is projected to become the largest data center in Europe. The project is scheduled to begin construction in September 2026, with a phased expansion planned through 2038. Local opposition has formed to protest the scale of the installation, citing similar environmental tensions regarding water and electricity usage seen in other global regions.