Google data center project in Kronstorf, Austria sparks environmental and political backlash

Google is constructing a large data center on a 50‑hectare site near Kronstorf in Upper Austria, slated to become one of the largest in Europe by 2027. The project’s initial plans have been expanded, with a potential maximum power demand of up to 500 MW and annual electricity use of 4.4 TWh, roughly a third of Upper Austria’s total consumption.

Local residents and environmental groups have organized protests, citing concerns over high water withdrawal from the Enns River, increased wastewater temperature, extensive land sealing of fertile soil, and the absence of a comprehensive environmental impact assessment (UVP). Politicians from the SPÖ, the Greens and the opposition have called for stricter UVP rules, while the ruling ÖVP argues the project is vital for digital infrastructure and regional economic development. The controversy has turned into a broader debate on whether large‑scale data centers should be subject to the same environmental scrutiny as wind farms.

The dispute highlights tensions between digital expansion, energy policy, and environmental protection in Austria, with the outcome likely to influence future approvals of comparable high‑consumption projects.