英国政府大力推崇的一个大型数据中心项目将错过明年的启动日期，并可能推迟至2030年代中期。
A huge datacentre project hailed by the UK government will miss its launch date next year and could be delayed into the mid-2030s.
位于埃塞克斯郡劳顿的该项目在2025年宣布时被描述为英国最大的AI超级计算机，但电力供应问题意味着它现在面临漫长的等待才能投入运行。
The site in Loughton, Essex was described as the country’s largest AI supercomputer when it was announced in 2025, but power supply problems mean it now faces a lengthy wait before coming online.
在《卫报》3月披露该计划选址仍是一个正在运营的脚手架场地后，该项目已引发质疑。
Doubts had already emerged about the scheme after the Guardian revealed in March that the planned location was still an operational scaffolding yard.
现在由于无法在计划于2027年首秀前获得足够电力，该项目面临进一步担忧。劳顿超级计算机由英国初创公司Nscale建设，该公司今年寻求进行350亿美元（260亿英镑）的上市融资。
Now there are further concerns about the project due to its inability to obtain enough power before its planned 2027 debut. The Loughton supercomputer is being built by Nscale, a UK-based startup seeking a $35bn (£26bn) flotation this year.
据报道，负责将该场地接入当地电网的英国电力网络公司（UKPN）已告知Nscale，电网将无法在2030年代初至中期前为该数据中心提供足够电力。
UK Power Networks (UKPN), the company that will connect the site to the local power grid, has reportedly told Nscale the grid will not be able to supply sufficient power to the datacentre until the early to mid-2030s.
这一电力延迟消息最早由AI行业通讯《Morning Intelligence》报道。
The power delay was first reported by Morning Intelligence, an AI industry newsletter.
Nscale表示“致力于该项目”，但未能找到电力供应问题的快速解决方案，凸显了能源已成为数据中心发展的多大障碍。不过，脚手架场地现已由Nscale清理完毕。该公司还在探究能否在现场发电，以及能否加快接入流程。
Nscale said it was “committed to the project” but the failure tofind a quick fix to the power supply issue underlines how much energy has become a hindrance to datacentre development. The scaffolding yard site has now been cleared by Nscale, however. The company is also investigating whether it can generate power onsite and whether it can speed up the connection process.
基尔·斯塔默政府在2025年宣布英国AI战略时引用了劳顿项目，将该场地描述为“英国最大的主权AI数据中心”。数据中心是聊天机器人等AI技术的中枢神经系统。
Keir Starmer’s government cited the Loughton project when announcing the UK’s AI strategy in 2025 describing the site as the “largest UK sovereign AI datacentre”. Datacentres are the central nervous system of AI technology such as chatbots.
能源行业监管机构Ofgem已警告电力接入申请存在拥堵。6月，它披露有315个数据中心排队接入国家电网，代表73吉瓦的需求——而全国峰值能源需求仅为45吉瓦。
Ofgem, the energy industry regulator, has warned of a logjam in applications for electricity connections In June, it revealed there were 315 datacentres queueing to connect to the National Grid, representing 73GW of demand – compared with the peak energy demand for the entire country of 45GW.
Loughton场地寻求高达90兆瓦的容量，相当于约31.5万户家庭的能源消耗。
The Loughton site is seeking up to 90MW of capacity, equivalent to the energy consumption of about 315,000 homes.
英国电力网公司（UKPN）表示，无法对单个项目发表评论。大型用能项目还需要在国家电网层面开展工作，以确保能够妥善满足能源需求。
UKPN said it could not comment on an individual project. Schemes with large energy demand also require work to be done at a National Grid level, in order to ensure that energy demands can be met properly.
英国电力网公司发言人表示：“一般来说，许多数据中心虽然会接入我们的配电网，但正在等待更广泛的国家电力输电网络的工程完成，然后才能开始运营。”
“In general, many datacentres, whilst they will connect to our distribution network, are awaiting works on the wider national electricity transmission network before they can begin operation,” said a UKPN spokesperson.
国家电网公司表示：“我们正继续与国家能源系统运营商（NESO，政府所有）、配电网运营商及客户密切合作，在可能的情况下寻找加速接网的机会，并支持经济增长。”
National Grid said: “We’re continuing to work closely with NESO [the government-owned National Energy System Operator], distribution network operators and customers to identify opportunities to accelerate connections where possible and support economic growth.”