Britain’s largest data centre, a £9 billion development in Bedfordshire, will rely on gas-fired power until 2034 due to ongoing delays in connecting to the national grid. Planning documents reveal that a gas generation station will supply the site, known as Quest Park, to ensure a stable and reliable energy source during this period.

The project, led by property developer David Kohler, is set to provide up to 720 megawatts of computing capacity—approximately one-fifth of the UK's current data centre demand. The data centre’s scale is roughly three times that of the nation’s existing largest facility.

Housing Secretary Steve Reed recently designated the Bedfordshire development as a nationally significant infrastructure project, allowing it to bypass local government planning processes and seek permission directly from ministers. This move aligns with new government rules aimed at accelerating the approval of large-scale data centres. Quest Park follows a similar £2 billion data centre in Buckinghamshire that will also operate on gas power.

The shift toward gas-powered data centres contrasts with the UK government’s net zero ambitions, prompting debate among lawmakers. Some MPs argue that ongoing reliance on gas-generated electricity challenges the compatibility of net zero goals with the government's aspirations to grow the artificial intelligence sector.

Kohler acknowledged that while connecting the data centre to the electricity grid remains the ideal solution, the complexity and backlog of grid connections over the last decade necessitate alternative power arrangements. “We need to be creative in how we get power,” he said.

Initially, the Bedfordshire site had been proposed as a film studio. However, plans shifted following former U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement to impose a 100% tariff on films produced outside the United States, prompting developers to reconsider the project’s purpose.

The continued increase in gas-dependence among UK data centres underscores broader tensions within energy policy as the country balances technological growth, energy infrastructure constraints, and climate commitments.