Microsoft pulls out of Nscale's UK AI data centre over power supply concerns as US delays mount
Chosun Ilbo reported that delays at 47 US AI data-centre projects have become a midterm election issue, while ET CIO said widening data-centre bond spreads point to financing risk. Elsewhere, Aolani signed letters of intent for up to 500MW of AI data-centre capacity in Malaysia, and Moomoo reported Samsung will work with TSMC on HBM for the first time.
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Key notes
Microsoft exits Nscale UK project
Microsoft has withdrawn from Nscale's UK AI data-centre plans. Tech-insider.org put the project at £2bn, and UA.NEWS, citing The Guardian, said the Essex site was dropped over power supply concerns.
US project delays have become a political issue. Chosun Ilbo reported that delays at 47 AI data-centre projects have sparked debate ahead of the US midterm elections. Rare Earth Exchanges looked at financing delays in 2026, and ET CIO reported that data-centre bond spreads are widening.
Chip stocks in Asia fell. CNBC reported that China's CXMT shares dropped more than 6% as investors looked past the chipmaker's profit turnaround. Chosunbiz said US AI jitters pulled South Korean semiconductor stocks lower, though brokerages quoted by BigGo Finance said it was time to add exposure.
Samsung will work with TSMC to produce HBM for the first time, Moomoo reported. The report says the move responds to NVIDIA's standardisation requirements.
Power equipment is drawing AI contracts as access to power becomes the constraint. LS Electric signed a power distribution deal of about $125 million for an AI data centre with a US Big Tech company, BigGo Finance reported. Digitimes said AI data-centre expansion is shifting focus to time-to-power, and CTech reported that Israel's grid may not be ready for its planned data-centre build-out.
Data centers · 18 storiesSites, colocation, cooling, capacity leases.Microsoft leaves Nscale UK plan; Aolani lines up 500MW in MalaysiaSite news split between withdrawals and delays in the UK and US, and new capacity and supply deals in Asia. Korean suppliers reported US data-centre orders.Frontier AI sites: power against capital costEach point is a site in Epoch AI's frontier register with both a stated power capacity and a stated capital cost — the further above the trend, the more each megawatt cost to build.Aolani signed letters of intent for up to 500MW of AI data-centre capacity in Malaysia.巴士的報LS Electric signed an AI data-centre power distribution deal of about $125 million with a US Big Tech company.BigGo FinanceDelays at 47 US AI data-centre projects have sparked debate ahead of the midterm elections, Chosun Ilbo reported.조선일보Open 18 stories →
Hyperscalers · 4 storiesCapex, power procurement, model-capacity deals.Microsoft exits Nscale's Essex AI data-centre project over powerAll four hyperscaler stories in this window concerned Microsoft's withdrawal from Nscale's UK plans, with reports tying the decision to power supply.Hyperscalers, indexed over the last 10 sessionsClosing prices on each company's home exchange, indexed to 100 at the first session shown, for the 5 hyperscalers that moved most over the window.UA.NEWS, citing The Guardian, reported that Microsoft exited the Essex AI data-centre project over power supply concerns.UA.NEWSStocks Down Under said Microsoft pulled out of the UK deal amid power delays.Stocks Down UnderSimply Wall Street listed stocks to watch after the Microsoft data-centre pullback.Simply Wall StreetOpen 4 stories →
Semiconductors · 24 storiesAccelerators, memory, foundry, packaging.Samsung to work with TSMC on HBM; CXMT falls over 6%Memory and packaging drew the company news, while Korean and Chinese chip stocks fell. Intel's CEO said restructuring is 80% done.Chipmakers this window, by move3 of 8 tracked chipmakers rose over the window; the change is close to close on each company's home exchange, in its own currency.Samsung will collaborate with TSMC for the first time to produce HBM, responding to NVIDIA's standardisation requirements, Moomoo reported.MoomooCXMT shares dropped more than 6% as investors looked past the chipmaker's profit turnaround, CNBC reported.CNBCHanmi Semiconductor opened a Silicon Valley subsidiary to serve US chip plants and target AI packaging equipment.Seoul Economic DailyBigGo FinanceChosunbizOpen 24 stories →
Semi equipment · 6 storiesLithography, deposition, etch, test, export rules.China weighs export controls on AI and chipsSupply-side risks led the equipment layer, from Beijing's possible export rules to a helium shortage.Toolmakers from window open to close1 of 5 tracked toolmakers closed the window above where they opened it; each line is one company's close, indexed to 100 at the open.China is considering export controls on AI and chips, Semafor reported.SemaforCBS News' 60 Minutes reported a shortage of helium, which is used in semiconductor manufacturing.CBS NewsIndexBox forecast a 7.5% CAGR for the UV imaging objectives market to 2035, driven by deep-UV semiconductor inspection.IndexBoxOpen 6 stories →
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AI + Energy & Sustainability
Frontier AI power on the record, by country8 rows · 1 source
Stated power capacity summed across the frontier sites Epoch AI records in each country — where the grid load of the build-out actually sits.Epoch AI · Frontier Data Centers Hub
What today covered · topic by region5 of 7 stories carry a region
2 charts built from 1 stated figure across 7 stories, the first planned by the composer from the record. Also had the data for when the energy stories landed, pressure and relief by topic. Held back: power committed in deals that state a figure (no deal in this edition states the capacity it commits); power disclosed per edition · last 7 (only 0 of the last 7 editions put a number on it); other figures on the record today (only 1 other figure on the record — the card needs 3).