Expanding power requirements and larger operating footprints are driving an increasingly complex risk and insurance profile for data centres, trade outlet OilPrice.com has reported.
Citing findings from a report by insurance broker Howden, the publication noted that significant legal claims involving data centres have escalated rapidly alongside the build-out of artificial intelligence infrastructure. Major lawsuits involving facilities surged from four cases across the whole of 2021 to 14 in the first six months of 2026 alone.
Planning challenges and environmental conflicts are serving as the primary catalysts for recent legal actions. Community scrutiny has also intensified, with operators facing rising numbers of nuisance and noise complaints, particularly concerning water usage and emissions generated by on-site diesel backup power units.