ILI Group plans 540MW AI data centre in East Ayrshire
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- ILI Group earmarked roughly 100 ha (250 acres) of farmland near HMP Kilmarnock in East Ayrshire for a technology hub that would include an AI data centre called Rufus, comparable in size to the prison.
- Lisa Beacham highlighted that the proposed 540 MW facility would need millions of litres of water each day for cooling, raising concerns about water scarcity.
- ILI argued that Scotland’s cooler climate would limit cooling to about 2 % of the time and that the site could meet its water demand through on‑site rainwater harvesting.
- Alex De Vries estimated that a 540 MW data centre could consume almost 6 bn litres of fresh water annually, questioning the climate‑benefit claim.
- ILI projected the project would create 120‑150 jobs—from security and cleaning to specialised tech roles—and could attract tens of billions of pounds of private investment to Scotland.
- Cheryl Rowland warned that the plan lacks a formal environmental impact assessment, could strain the local electricity grid, and may not deliver jobs to local residents.
- Scottish Water is being consulted by ILI, alongside SEPA, as the company conducts its own technical assessment before a formal EIA is possibly filed.
Why it matters: The proposal could deliver 120‑150 new jobs and billions of pounds of private capital to a region seeking economic revitalisation, while residents risk heightened water consumption, possible grid overload, and a long‑term facility that may not benefit locals if jobs are filled by outsiders.
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