Firmus tells a Tasmanian parliamentary inquiry its AI data centre diesel generators are for emergencies only, while appealing a council condition that says so

What changed

ABC News reported on 10 November that Firmus Technologies told a Tasmanian parliamentary inquiry into AI data centres that it would only use diesel generators at its sites in emergencies. When Firmus won planning approval for its Long Reach facility in northern Tasmania, George Town Council limited its 276 backup diesel generators to emergencies, maintenance and testing, after community concerns about pollution and noise. Firmus appealed that condition as unreasonable, saying it would stop it running the generators during periods of energy market stress, and Tasmania's Environment Protection Authority has sought to join the appeal. At the inquiry, Firmus said it was seeking clarification of what counts as an emergency and declined to name its customers. Firmus runs AI data centres in Melbourne and Singapore and is building one at St Leonards, Launceston. This is ABC's report of the hearing.

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