Summary
- Regional councillor Massimo Sertori expects amendments to be presented on 19 October, with approval potentially within a month.
- More than 60 applications represent about 11GW of proposed capacity, not operating load.
- The proposed changes would strengthen land-use restrictions and address water management and renewable power.
Lombardy’s regional administration is preparing to present amendments to its data centre law on 19 October, following a surge of development applications and concerns about the cumulative effects of proposed facilities on land, electricity and water resources.
Regional councillor Massimo Sertori told Reuters on 15 October that the changes could receive approval within roughly a month. That timetable marks a development beyond the earlier announcement that the regional government intended to strengthen its existing framework. It is not a claim that a new law has already taken effect.
Reuters reports that more than 60 data centre applications, representing around 11GW of proposed capacity, have been submitted since the law was introduced. Such figures measure a development pipeline, not a connected or commissioned electricity load. Projects may be revised, rejected, delayed or abandoned, while a single application can change substantially between early planning and final electrical design.
Reuters reported that 11GW of sustained consumption would equate to roughly 90TWh of electricity annually under an illustrative full-load calculation, exceeding Lombardy’s current annual electricity demand of approximately 65TWh. The comparison shows the scale of the submitted queue, but cannot be treated as a forecast that all applications will operate simultaneously at their stated ratings.
Brownfield preference could become more restrictive
The region’s June 2026 legislation already favours disused industrial properties and previously developed sites, imposing heavier construction charges on projects using agricultural or environmentally sensitive land. The expected amendments would seek to limit agricultural land conversion further while placing additional emphasis on water management and renewable energy arrangements.
Reusing former industrial property can reduce pressure on undeveloped land, but the electrical and building requirements of data centres do not automatically match those of the previous occupant. Developers may need to remediate contamination, replace buildings, reinforce foundations, install substations and secure high-capacity transmission connections. Historic industrial electricity use is no guarantee of a suitable modern supply.
Water management requirements also vary with the cooling system. Facilities employing evaporative cooling have a different water-consumption profile from dry-cooler or closed-loop designs. A planning assessment needs project-specific information about heat rejection, make-up water, seasonal operation and discharge rather than treating every cooling configuration as equivalent.
Likewise, a renewable power purchase agreement does not establish that a campus can physically operate without a grid connection, nor that generation matches consumption in every hour. Regulators may distinguish contracted annual energy purchases from the capacity and reliability available at the relevant electrical connection point.
Applications concentrate around the Milan market
Lombardy’s existing connectivity, industrial land and proximity to corporate demand make the Milan area a major data centre location. Concentration can improve network access and supplier availability, but it can also put pressure on land, substations and transmission reinforcement plans when several proposals seek substantial power within the same region.
Rho has become one focus of public opposition. DataCentral previously reported six local electricity connection requests totalling 650MW; those requests were not evidence of six approved facilities. The newer region-wide figures widen the context from a municipality to the cumulative planning and power demands facing Lombardy.
Possible changes to application requirements could also affect the cost of holding development sites. A requirement for stronger evidence of water treatment, renewable supply or land remediation would change what promoters must establish before seeking permission. The published political statements do not specify the definitive supporting documents, so it would be premature to attribute a new cost or deadline to applicants.
Capacity figures require separate treatment according to whether they denote requested grid access, connected power or installed computing load. Eleven gigawatts expressed as a capacity total is not an annual energy figure; conversion to terawatt-hours requires assumptions about average use throughout the year. The 90TWh comparison illustrates a hypothetical demand level rather than a measured regional electricity increase.
The legislative procedure will determine whether the proposed requirements apply to applications already in progress, only new submissions or particular categories of development. No final amendment text or transitional provision has yet been adopted. Until then, the law introduced in June and its existing implementation measures remain the operative framework.
The next stated legislative milestone is the proposed presentation of amendments on 19 October, followed by their scrutiny and any formal approval. Claims that Lombardy has banned greenfield data centres, secured renewable power for the entire queue or accepted 11GW of new grid demand would all overstate the available evidence.
