Idle Currents: Turning Pakistan’s Underused Power into a Global Data Centre Hub
This report examines whether Pakistan can turn its underused electricity generating capacity into a foundation for a globally competitive data centre industry. It examines the economic, legal, regulatory and contractual barriers that currently prevent large data centres from operating out of Pakistan. It analyses Pakistan’s power system, captive and hydropower options, data centre power requirements, electricity procurement structures and the existing NEPRA framework, before proposing a legal and contractual reform model designed to make such projects bankable. The report also considers potential locations, economics, implementation and the risk of creating new stranded assets.