Findings from our report, Powering Great Britain’s Data Centre Ambitions, have been featured in industry media recently:

• Edie explores how grid bottlenecks are driving relocation decisions and shaping UK competitiveness
• UK Tech News covers the timeline misalignment challenge: Half of Data Centre Developers Massively Underestimate Connection Times
• Data Centre Solutions interviews Pete Aston on collaboration, capacity, and the path forward

The detail

Half of data centre investors believe grid connections take two years. The reality? Often closer to eight.

That gap isn’t a planning hiccup. It’s a capital killer.

Right now, projects worth billions sit paralyzed as development teams discover they’re only halfway through a journey they thought was ending. The challenge isn’t getting a connection offer. It’s navigating the technical-regulatory-commercial labyrinth that follows.

Our research surveying 50 UK data centre leaders reveals the scale of the disconnect:

• 76% are exploring international alternatives in Africa and Asia
• Half of all projects have been forced to relocate due to grid cost and capacity constraints
• Yet 64% remain optimistic that Britain can become a leading data centre hub

This isn’t about lack of ambition. 75GW in the connection queue proves the appetite exists. The bottleneck lies in the complex interplay between technical feasibility, regulatory requirements, and commercial realities that unfolds after the initial offer.

The difference between projects that energize and those that stall? Seeing years 3-8 clearly before most realize year 2 is just the beginning.

Download the full report here.