There is no denying the significance of Google’s US250 million contribution to our GDP. For a small island nation, this is transformative — on paper.
But as construction proceeds and cables land on our shores, a fundamental question remains: Is Google also investing in the water and electricity infrastructure that will keep this data centre running?
Because without a serious commitment to upgrading these already strained utilities, this “digital hub” risks becoming a drain on a system that is already gasping for air.
A project shrouded in questions
Community leaders in Malomalo are demanding transparency, claiming the project proceeded without adequate consultation. Malomalo representative Emoni Rokomoce has raised concerns about cables running underground along the beach and their potential impact on marine resources and qoliqoli fishing grounds. Nadroga Navosa Resource Owners Committee representative Mosese Volavola has warned that legal action may follow, noting that resource owners understood the lease to be for tourism — not a data centre.
The iTLTB confirmed a 25-year sublease was granted to Natadola Bay Resort Ltd (FNPF) from January 1, 2025, later assigned to Staghorn Services Pte Ltd for the Google Data Center and registered on February 23, 2026. As reported by media personalities, questions sent to FNPF, Google, EFL and WAF, remained unanswered.
That silence is telling.
A grid already at breaking point
Even without Google, EFL had warned that the country faces one of its most difficult operating periods in recent years, with low water levels at Monasavu, rising fuel costs and prolonged dry conditions placing increasing pressure on power supply. Around 45 to 50 percent of electricity generation still depends on imported fuel, leaving the system vulnerable to global price shocks.
EFL has warned of potential controlled power rationing and has already secured an interim fuel surcharge to keep the lights on. Westpac has noted that at current tariff levels, EFL would be unable to adequately fund new generation capacity, transmission upgrades or system-wide resilience. With electricity demand growing at around five percent annually, the bank warned that “outage risks rise” when tariffs are held below the cost of reliable supply.
Hyperscale projects like Google’s facility will add to current power demands, making sustained investment in energy infrastructure crucial. But who is paying for that investment?
Water: A resource under siege
Fiji’s water infrastructure is no better. The Finance Minister recently acknowledged that government inherited “a critical crisis in the water sector with an aging water infrastructure, where 50 percent of the water is lost through leakage”. The Fiscal Review Committee had estimated that we require billions of dollars to upgrade water systems.
Current assessments show that nearly one in four of our water sources are already under stress, with 16 percent at critical levels. An $8.7 billion water infrastructure strategy had been launched, acknowledging that the challenges cannot be solved within a single government term.
Data centres are notoriously water-intensive. A 15-megawatt facility can consume 80 to 130 million gallons of water annually. Google itself reported using 4.3 billion gallons of water for cooling in 2022. While Fiji’s tropical climate may reduce some cooling demands, the facility will still require substantial water resources — resources that are already stretched thin.
The missing piece of the puzzle
Google has framed this project as part of its Pacific Connect Initiative, designed to make Fiji a regional digital crossroads. The facility will house data transmission servers, network equipment, backup power systems and generators. But nowhere in the public announcements is there clarity on how this facility will be powered and cooled without exacerbating our existing infrastructure deficits.
Google is investing in fibre optic connectivity, including a terrestrial link between Suva and Natadola. It has committed to sourcing local services where possible. But has it committed a single dollar to upgrading EFL’s generation capacity? Has it pledged to fund new water treatment or distribution infrastructure?
The answer, based on all public records, appears to be no.
A fair question deserves an answer
This is not an anti-development argument. Fiji needs investment, jobs and digital connectivity. The economic potential is real. But development cannot be a one-way street. If Google is going to build a facility that places additional demands on our fragile electricity grid and a stressed water system, it must also also invest in expanding and upgrading those systems.
Westpac has noted that financing energy investments in Small Island Developing States is difficult due to high capital costs and limited economies of scale. Google is not a small player. It has the resources to fund infrastructure that would benefit not just its own facility, but the wider Fijian public.
The government is already struggling. EFL has warned of negative cashflows from July 2026. The Water Authority is scrambling to address critical water shortages. Adding a major data centre to this equation without corresponding investment in utilities is not just irresponsible — it is unsustainable.
The people of Malomalo deserve transparency. The people of Fiji deserve to know whether this digital future will be powered by Fijian resources, or by Fijian sacrifice.
Google must answer: What are you investing in our water and electricity infrastructure?
Because a data centre cannot run on promises alone.
Pasifika Talanoa by a traveled ITaukei Fijian 