An Amsterdam data center project linked to Microsoft has become the focus of a widening dispute over electricity, water and large-scale digital infrastructure. The conflict escalated after Extinction Rebellion activists threw dozens of balloons containing chemical mixtures toward the building’s foundations from outside the construction fence.
The project’s total electricity demand is said to be comparable with that of nearly all Amsterdam households. Its cooling system is also expected to require 420 million litres of water each year.
Those figures have intensified objections because households and businesses in Amsterdam are reportedly still waiting for electricity connections. Critics argue that the issue concerns the allocation of public resources, rather than construction alone.
| Aspect | Stated figure or design | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity demand | Comparable with nearly all Amsterdam households | For the full complex |
| Water demand | 420 million litres annually | For cooling systems |
| Project structure | Three separate towers | Outside the hyperscale definition |
A project shaped around a regulatory definition
Amsterdam and the Dutch government have restricted the construction of hyperscale data centers since 2022, citing limits on electricity and water supplies. The complex linked to Microsoft is reportedly divided into three separate towers, placing it outside the formal hyperscale definition.
Opponents contend that the division does not reduce the combined resource demands of the project. The arrangement has therefore become central to the dispute over how large data center developments are approved.
CNBC Indonesia reported that the opposition also reflects concern about energy-intensive AI infrastructure. For critics, the project raises a broader question about whether major computing facilities should take priority while other users await grid access.
Chemical balloons and a police investigation
Activists said the balloons contained acetic acid, hydrogen peroxide, salt and acrylic paint. They stated that the mixture was intended to accelerate erosion of concrete and corrosion of structural steel.
Pure Data Centers confirmed that balloons had been thrown from outside the construction area. The developer said it had found no significant damage and that construction would continue as planned.
Amsterdam police are investigating the incident, while Pure Data Centers plans to pursue legal action. Microsoft had not issued an official response at the time described in the report.
Climate, AI and Gaza cited by activists
Extinction Rebellion spokesperson Martijn Dekker linked the action to the climate crisis, the risks of AI and Microsoft’s support for military operations in Gaza, which he described as genocide. He argued that these issues stem from the power of large corporations and a small number of wealthy people.
The Amsterdam action followed other protests by the group, including an action involving a pungent acid at the office of a fossil-fuel insurance company. Activists also locked the entrance to the Lloyd’s insurance market in London.
Critics of the Amsterdam action have said that throwing chemicals could endanger workers and does not resolve the underlying policy dispute. Even so, the incident shows how data center expansion can draw intense public pressure when energy, water, climate concerns and corporate policy converge.