Penny Simmonds: Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology on the push to bring more data centres to New Zealand

The Technology Minister says the global demand for more data centres is great, as the Government pushes to bring more here. 

Invest New Zealand is looking to attract up to $30 billion in offshore investment in the centres over five years.  

It says it could generate $70 billion in broader economic activity and employ up to 3,500 people.  

Technology Minister Penny Simmonds told Ryan Bridge the digital economy needs infrastructure – anyone who’s streamed a movie or banked online is part of this digital economy. 

She’s offering assurances that we have enough energy to power the data centres, saying that we already have 56 facilities, which use only 0.6% of our total power. 

Simmonds told Bridge we're extending our renewable generation, which will help meet future demand. 

The Minister says nine energy projects are going through fast track, and if we weren't expanding generation, then she'd be worried. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.