QUERÉTARO, Mexico — When Microsoft inaugurated a sprawling AI data center in central Mexico last year, residents of nearby towns like Las Cenizas began experiencing a wave of utility disruptions that have since escalated into a regional crisis.
The facility, part of Microsoft’s global push to expand artificial intelligence infrastructure, demands enormous amounts of electricity and water to power and cool its servers. Locals say the consequences have been severe: power outages have become routine, and water shortages that once lasted a few days now persist for weeks.
Dulce María Nicolás, a mother of two from Las Cenizas, reported that her children’s school has closed multiple times due to a lack of water. Víctor Bárcenas, who runs a local health clinic, described treating patients by flashlight and being unable to administer oxygen during a blackout, forcing a critical patient to be rushed to a hospital an hour away.
The data center is located in El Marqués, near the city of Querétaro, a region already grappling with fragile infrastructure. Experts warn that the sudden spike in resource consumption from AI facilities is overwhelming local grids and water systems. Microsoft has denied direct responsibility, stating that the incidents are isolated and not conclusively linked to its operations.
Still, the timing and scale of the disruptions have fueled public outcry. The situation in Querétaro mirrors similar patterns seen in other countries where tech giants have built AI hubs, raising global concerns about the sustainability of artificial intelligence’s rapid expansion.
As Microsoft and other firms continue to invest billions in AI infrastructure, communities like Las Cenizas are left to navigate the unintended consequences—often without adequate support or recourse.
Source: DY
