Andhra Pradesh environmental clearance cites 2.51 GW for Google project near Visakhapatnam

Andhra Pradesh authorities have issued environmental clearance for a Google project spanning three sites around Visakhapatnam, with the clearance citing 2.51 GW of total-project capacity. The project is described as having a stated value of $15 billion.

The permitting figure is materially above the 1 GW capacity Google had previously announced for an AI hub in Visakhapatnam. The available material does not establish whether the two figures refer to the same project boundary, different development phases or different capacity methodologies. Google’s named partners are AdaniConneX and Airtel.

For power-market participants, the distinction is consequential. If 2.51 GW reflects the full energy scale of the development, it would place the project among the largest AI-campus proposals and intensify demand for large-scale power supply and grid interconnection in Andhra Pradesh. The Guardian estimated that this capacity is equivalent to more than 30% of the state’s current annual electricity consumption, though that comparison should be treated as a source estimate rather than a confirmed grid-demand forecast.

The project is subject to environmental and land-related disputes. Human Rights Forum has filed three petitions connected with the development before India’s National Green Tribunal, where decisions remain pending. A separate case is before the Andhra Pradesh High Court. Google has said it will use air rather than water cooling and does not expect an impact on local drinking-water sources.

Land issues remain contested. Residents have alleged restricted access and unfulfilled commitments, while the state government has denied compulsory acquisition and Adani Group has said that the necessary approvals are in place. The legal proceedings and local disputes could create schedule, reputational and permitting risks for a power-intensive data-center development of this scale.

The Guardian also estimated that tax incentives and preferential terms, including low-cost land, electricity and water, could cost the state 220 billion rupees over 20 years. This is an external estimate, not a confirmed amount of incentives already granted.