Greece's Mining Region Counts on Data Center for Revival

The central square in Kozani has what we might expect from a small Greek town – an Orthodox church, a town hall, a few taverns and cafes. Almost nothing suggests that it is located at the heart of a transition that the country is counting on, writes Bloomberg. On this site, where lignite coal was once stored to fuel a power plant near Kozani, the electricity supplier Public Power Corporation plans to build one of the largest data centers in Europe. It is part of a 5.8 billion euro investment to convert the former mining region into a technology and clean energy hub.

The type of projects are causing protest movements from Sacramento to Scotland due to claims that they consume electricity, water, and land. But in Kozani, these projects are seen as a possible lifeline, as a test of Europe’s ability to grow in a place that would actually welcome a data center, as well as a sign of trust in the Greek government before the expected elections next spring.