THE DATA CENTRE INTERVIEW
Overcoming technical obstacles The technical challenges of retrofitting for AI are substantial, requiring comprehensive upgrades to both power and cooling infrastructure. Steve identifies the electrical distribution system as the first major hurdle.
“ On the power side, the main issue is grid power,” he states.“ The second issue will be the entire power distribution inside the data centre. Traditional data centres were designed for lower power densities or distributed workloads. AI workloads demand concentrated power delivery, which may require upgrades to PDUs, medium-voltage switchgear, low-voltage switchgear, transformers, circuit breakers and busways or cabling.”
The cooling challenge proves equally complex. Modern AI servers have fundamentally different requirements than traditional IT equipment, necessitating new approaches to thermal management.
“ On the cooling side, most nextgeneration AI servers are natively liquid-cooled and come with integrated cold water inlet and hot water outlet connections,” Steve explains.“ These are not optional – they are required for operation.”
Implementing liquid cooling demands significant new equipment, including:
• CDUs( Coolant Distribution Units): manage the flow between the servers and the facility’ s cooling loop.
• Chillers or Dry Coolers: must be compatible with liquid cooling( not just air-based systems).
• Piping Infrastructure: for cold water delivery and hot water return.
• Heat Exchangers: for transferring heat from the server loop to the building loop.
26 February 2026