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UK government announces new plans to protect data centres

Qualifying UK data centres could become essential services under the NIS framework, with Ofcom oversight, incident-reporting duties and thresholds based on rated IT load. The rules are not yet in force.
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The UK plans to bring qualifying data centres into the Network and Information Systems (NIS) regulatory framework through the Cyber Security and Resilience (Network and Information Systems) Bill. They would become regulated essential services, with Ofcom as the operational regulator. Operators would need to provide information, manage security and resilience risks proportionately, and report significant incidents.

The framework is proposed rather than in force. Its duties would begin only after the Bill receives Royal Assent and the government makes secondary legislation; the government has not published a final commencement date.

What the government is proposing

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) says data centres meeting defined thresholds will be designated essential services under the NIS framework. The policy factsheet, updated 30 June 2026, describes data infrastructure as a sector under the NIS Regulations 2018.

The stated aim is consistent oversight of facilities whose failure could disrupt public services, businesses and the wider economy, while supporting continued growth of the data-centre sector. The proposal is delivered through the Cyber Security and Resilience (Network and Information Systems) Bill rather than through an immediate change to operating rules.

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“Data centres will be designated as essential services, with data infrastructure recognised as a sector under the Network and Information Systems (NIS) Regulations 2018.”

Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, Data centres factsheet, updated 30 June 2026

Which data centres would be regulated?

Scope is based mainly on rated IT load (RITL), with a separate higher threshold for facilities operated solely for their owner’s enterprise needs. The proposed thresholds are:

Proposed scope thresholds in the DSIT data-centres factsheet, updated 30 June 2026
Facility type Proposed threshold What it means
General data-centre facilities At least 1 MW rated IT load Facilities meeting or exceeding this RITL threshold would fall within the proposed essential-service regime.
Enterprise data centres operated solely for the owner At least 10 MW rated IT load A higher threshold would apply where the facility serves only its owner’s enterprise requirements.

The government says thresholds can be adjusted over time to reflect technology, market conditions and risk. A small server room is therefore not automatically covered simply because it supports business systems; the relevant threshold and the enterprise-only distinction matter.

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What duties would operators have?

Identify the service and provide information

Operators of facilities within scope would have to identify themselves to Ofcom and meet structured information requirements. This is intended to give the regulator a reliable view of the facilities and services covered by the regime.

Manage cyber and operational risks

Operators would have to put proportionate measures in place to manage risks to the availability, integrity and security of their services. The proposal covers resilience as well as cyber security, so planning would need to address the operational conditions that can interrupt a facility’s service.

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Report significant incidents

Significant incidents affecting a regulated service would have to be reported under the NIS framework. The factsheet does not set a commencement date for this duty or provide a final definition of every reporting trigger; those details depend on the legislation and accompanying rules.

Would Ofcom regulate data centres?

Yes. Under the plan, Ofcom would be the operational regulator for data centres brought into the NIS regime. Its proposed powers would include:

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  • requesting information from operators;
  • conducting inspections;
  • interviewing staff; and
  • entering premises to examine infrastructure.

These are planned powers for the proposed data-centre regime. Ofcom is not currently enforcing these new duties merely because the government has published the Bill framework.

When will the new security rules start?

There is no final start date in the current factsheet. The planned sequence is:

  1. The Cyber Security and Resilience (Network and Information Systems) Bill must receive Royal Assent.
  2. The government must make secondary legislation bringing the data-centre duties into force.
  3. Ofcom can then apply the operational requirements and use the powers provided by the enacted framework.

Until those steps are completed, the proposed notification, control and incident-reporting duties should not be described as rules already in force. Operators should check the latest government and Ofcom publications before relying on an implementation date.

Why are data centres being treated as critical infrastructure?

The government designated UK data centres as Critical National Infrastructure in September 2024. DSIT’s explanation is that data centres support patient records, financial systems, online services and other essential activity. A major cyber-attack, outage or extreme-weather event at a facility could therefore affect services well beyond the site itself.

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DSIT reported in 2026 that 28% of UK businesses and 62% of large UK businesses rely on data-centre services. Those figures are presented as the share of businesses relying on such services, not as a measure of the number of facilities covered by the proposed law.

Business reliance figures reported by DSIT in 2026
Group Reported share relying on data-centre services
UK businesses 28% — Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, 2026
Large UK businesses 62% — Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, 2026
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How the security plan connects with electricity policy

Security regulation is being developed alongside measures intended to make sure viable data-centre projects can obtain electricity connections. Ofgem’s proposals of 29 July 2026 would introduce a data-centre commitment fee and queue-management milestones. The purpose is to remove speculative connection projects and release grid capacity for developments that are ready to proceed.

The scale of the electricity issue is significant: the House of Commons Library reported in 2026 that UK data-centre capacity could reach between 3.3 GW and 6.3 GW by 2030, depending on policy interventions. The range is a projection, not a guaranteed build-out figure, and the Ofgem proposals are separate from the NIS security duties.

What operators should prepare for now

The proposed regime is not yet in force, but operators that may meet the thresholds can reduce uncertainty by preparing the information the eventual regulator is likely to need:

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  • calculate the site’s rated IT load and document how it is measured;
  • establish whether the facility is operated solely for its owner or provides services to other customers;
  • map critical cyber-security and operational-resilience risks;
  • keep an inventory of infrastructure, dependencies and responsible staff; and
  • review how significant incidents would be detected, escalated and recorded.

These are preparation steps, not a substitute for the final legislation. The legal obligations, reporting details and commencement date will be set by the enacted Bill and secondary legislation.

What the plan means for businesses using data-centre services

The proposal adds a future layer of regulatory oversight for qualifying facilities rather than creating a new direct compliance duty for every business that rents servers or uses hosted services. Customers should ask providers how they manage outages, cyber incidents and continuity, but the Bill does not itself guarantee uninterrupted service or specify customer compensation.

For the wider economy, the policy combines two objectives: making critical facilities more resilient and managing the electricity demand associated with their expansion. The practical effect will depend on the final legal thresholds, secondary legislation and Ofcom’s implementation decisions.

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