Trinidad and Tobago signs agreements with US companies that pave the way for data centers

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: AP

Updated 5:10 PM EDT, July 11, 2026


PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad (AP) — Trinidad and Tobago has signed agreements paving the way for U.S. companies to begin groundwork for installing large data centers in the Caribbean nation, sparking concerns about potential energy consumption and environmental impacts.

The memorandums of understanding with the Florida-headquartered Hummingbird AI Holdings and New York-based Ernst and Young LLP were signed on Friday, according to a statement from the office of Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar. These are the first such agreements with a Caribbean country.

The deal with Ernst and Young LLP will set out the framework for collaboration on developing large-scale data centers, with the company planning to “partner with third parties in the development” of a 300 megawatt data center, the statement said. The agreement with Hummingbird AI Holdings sets up the framework for “preliminary cooperation, due diligence and coordination” for a proposed 150 MW AI infrastructure and data center facility.

Data centers are listed with a megawatt figure to indicate their electrical power capacity to operate at peak load. The 300 MW center has a capacity of 300 million watts of electricity. The deals raised online questions about the environmental impact of the centers.

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/trinidad-tobago-data-centers-ernst-young-a4d9efd41ae303b58f3f0cea695dcc3e

[Javaman]

1. How long until the locals get pissed and tear them down? nt

[vishnura]

2. Data centers in Trinidad.

Trinidad have difficulties supplying water for domestic usage by its population..Where will the water for the cooling come from?

[SergeStorms]

3. And the power needed....

to support the place? I see a troubled relationship with the islanders brewing on the horizon.

[wolfie001]

4. Truly abominable KKKrap from this maladministration

Grift, bribes and payoffs are our diplomacy today.

[eppur_se_muova]

5. Oh, goody -- Gigajoules of heat and GHGs released into a tropical climate. What could go wrong ?

Probably have a measurable influence on hurricane formation and tracking.

[patphil]

6. This data center would consume the same power as a city of about 200,000 people.

Combined, Trinidad and Tobago have about 1.5 million people. Where's the energy needed to maintain that data center going to come from?
Not to mention the pollution these places cause. And, will it provide jobs for the people...I'd guess a couple hundred at best, and most of them won't be from that area.
Based on energy use, we're talking the equivalent of suddenly having about 13% more people in that region. It's going to have a huge, adverse affect on the lives of the people who live there.
That data center will be a leech, sucking the lifeblood out of that region.
But then, money smooths the way to "progress".

[EX500rider]

7. Power will be less a problem then cooling

Trinidad and Tobago has an installed electrical generation capacity of approximately 2,140 MW and generates around 9,500 GWh annually.
The national grid's peak system demand hovers around 1,350 MW to 1,410 MW, leaving a comfortable surplus.

Nearly 100% of the country's electricity generation is powered by natural gas, supplied by major independent power producers

[ToxMarz]

8. I think someone just wants to work in an island paradise

[Crowman2009]

9. Hopefully the people of Trinidad & Tobago do what Albania did.

That prime minister won't be in office much longer.

[dalton99a]

10. Kick