A Norwegian-linked developer has withdrawn a proposal to build a 50MW artificial intelligence data centre in Oton, Iloilo, in the Philippines, following a contentious public consultation.
The proposed project, known as the WS Hyperscale AI Campus, was presented by Daniel Stefan Robertsen on behalf of Norway Green Energy. The planned facility was to be located on a 10-hectare site in Barangay Abilay Sur and was reportedly valued at around P20.3 billion.
The proposal was discussed during a public consultation attended by local officials and residents. Some residents raised concerns about the project’s potential water consumption and cooling requirements.
The consultation ended with Robertsen walking out after a disagreement with journalists. Local officials subsequently indicated that the developer might withdraw the proposal.
Oton Vice Mayor Jose Neil Olivares had earlier stressed that the municipal council had not endorsed the project.
Robertsen later informed local authorities that Norway Green Energy would no longer pursue the proposal, citing the “current circumstances”, according to Philippine media reports.
The withdrawal comes as demand for data-centre capacity is growing across Southeast Asia, driven in part by the expansion of artificial intelligence and cloud computing.
Philippine media have also raised questions about Norway Green Energy’s corporate background. The company had limited publicly available information and could not be readily identified in the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission’s public database.
The relationship between Norway Green Energy, Robertsen and Norwegian data-centre company Terakraft AS also remains unclear and would require further verification.
Sources: Daily Guardian, Bombo Radyo Iloilo, Manila Bulletin.
