A $3 billion downgrade could send a ripple through a surging Australian industry

Key points

• NEXTDC's market value dropped by around $3 billion after energy provider Jemena paused installing power poles needed for its West Footscray data centre in Melbourne. The plunge came less than two weeks after Firmus Technologies withdrew its public listing plans.
• Local residents have raised concerns about diesel storage, noise and the power works. Analysts say community support is now a key issue for data centre operators.
• One adviser urged caution for investors, saying future expectations should not be priced too heavily into today's market value.