SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) — Google on Tuesday said it would halt plans to develop a major $200 million data center in Chile to address environmental concerns, a decision reflecting growing worries about the impact of power-thirsty projects around the world.
The U.S. technology company first obtained permits in 2020 to construct the vast project in Chile’s capital, Santiago, as demand for the server farms skyrocketed across the globe, fueled by a surge in cloud-based technologies and a craze for generative AI.
But months after a Chilean court partially reversed the center's authorization over water usage concerns, Google announced Tuesday that it would revise the project to comply with more stringent environmental requirements and change its water-intensive cooling system.
“A new process will start from scratch,” Google said in its statement. “Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do, and the way we design and manage our data centers is no exception.”
Community complaints in the drought-stricken South American nation over the air-conditioned computer farm's energy and water usage sharpened government scrutiny and prompted a local court to temporarily revoke the project's authorization in February.
The Santiago environmental court asked Google to respond to concerns that the data center could affect Santiago’s main aquifer.
The court said it was highly possible that cooling the heavy equipment — which creates the online storage for the data of millions — could pull from Chile's water resources. The country is experiencing a crippling drought supercharged by climate change, a source of outrage among locals and Indigenous groups.
Google didn't provide an updated timeline for the project and said that it would keep the location the same. It said developers had already notified Chile’s environmental regulator of the company's decision to pause its permit application process and rethink its strategy.
FILE - Clouds hover over the Andes Mountains in Santiago, Chile, June 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix, File)
CHICAGO (AP) — Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics started slowly, tussling early with the Chicago Bulls.
But the defending NBA champions came on and prevailed 123-98 on Saturday night, with Tatum's 43-point, 16-rebound and 10-assist effort earning the five-time All-Star comparisons to former Celtics great and Hall of Famer Larry Bird.
Tatum's third career triple-double was the first for a Celtics player that included 40 or more points since Bird scored 49 points with 14 rebounds and 12 assists against Portland in a 152-148 double-overtime win on March 15, 1992, according to the team.
Tatum emphasized winning is what matters most, but a little icing on the cake isn't bad.
“Larry Bird is probably the best player to ever wear this uniform," Tatum said. "So any time you accomplish something in the same sentence as him, it's something special, even if you never reach that pinnacle.”
Bird finished with 59 triple-doubles in his 13 seasons with Boston. According to the Celtics, Tatum's was the first for the team that included 40 or more points and 15 or more rebounds. Tatum's effort also counted as his sixth straight double-double and 14th this season.
Tatum got rolling in the second quarter, then scored 18 points in the third as Boston used a 19-8 run to open a 93-77 lead heading into the fourth. He finished 16 for 24 from the floor, hitting 9 of 15 3-point attempts. Two free throws rounded out his scoring line.
“As a basketball player, you feel the rhythm, the ball is finding you,” Tatum said. "You're just being active all over the place and probably in that third quarter.
“Joe (coach Mazzulla) just challenges me every night, just to amplify my teammates and figure out ways to dominate all over the court. Obviously tonight, I'm scoring a lot and getting rebounds. It just looks different on a given night.”
The game was tied at 42 midway through the second quarter, then the Celtics and Tatum found offensive rhythm. Boston had a 61-54 lead at the half using an 8-0 run to open a 12-point lead at one point. Tatum and the Celtics took charge in the third after the Bulls had closed to within five points.
“He went outside what we normally do and that's a testament to him,” Mazzulla said. “Just his shot-making, his decision-making, his ability to rebound. I thought he kind of controlled the entire game.”
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Boston Celtics' Jayson Tatum shoots as Chicago Bulls' Nikola Vucevic watches during the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
