NextDC reports record profit and rising resource use

Australian data centre developer NextDC has reported a record financial year, with net revenue rising 16 percent to $405 million and underlying EBITDA increasing 15 percent to $248.8 million for the year ending June 30. The company surpassed its previous guidance, driven by strong demand from AI, cloud, and hyperscale deployments. CEO Craig Scroggie described it as the largest contracting year in the company’s history, noting a significant forward order book.

Alongside financial growth, the company reported an increase in resource consumption. Water usage effectiveness (WUE) rose to 2.40 litres per kilowatt-hour, and power usage effectiveness (PUE) increased to 1.49. NextDC attributed these rising ratios to portfolio growth, the commissioning of new capacity, and data reconciliation efforts that identified leaks and meter anomalies. These metrics are under increasing scrutiny by regulators as the environmental impact of the AI-driven data centre boom becomes a central policy concern.