More from All the latest updates on AI data centers
AI data center projects are continuing to pop up across the US, with frequent opposition from locals concerned about their impact. Here are a few recent articles about the projects:
- The New York Times: You Can’t Stop This Data Center, a Mom Was Told. She Won’t Quit.
- The Urbanist: Seattle Advances Data Center Moratorium, Amid Public Backlash
- ABC7 WWSB: Developers push massive data center complex in DeSoto County amid backlash
- TiffinOhio.net: Rural Ohio fights back against Ramaswamy’s plan to expand AI data centers
The environmental activist and former legal clerk who’s life was made into a movie in 2000 is also logging local complaints about data center projects in their communities. Brockovich writes:
“The RACE to build AI infrastructures is unfolding town by town across America. In some places, data centers are welcomed. In others, they are delayed, contested or abandoned altogether. This MAP captures the real-world footprint of that race — revealing patterns of growth, conflict and uncertainty.
[Brockovich Data Center Reporting]
I’m ashamed to say I did poorly — only three out of 10 correct — but I’m glad I took it, it’s an interesting quiz. Heads up that it might be behind a paywall, though.
Update: Noted the potential paywall.
[The Wall Street Journal]
AI data center projects are continuing to pop up across the US, with frequent opposition from locals concerned about their impact. Here are a few recent articles about the projects:
- Bloomberg: Meta Goes Big on the Bayou
- Wisconsin Public Radio: Residents speak out against possible data center in northeast Wisconsin’s village of Wrightstown
- Politico: Data centers loom over Georgia governor race
- MLive: Township treasurer resigns, cites ‘threats’ over Oracle, OpenAI data center
- The New York Times: Rising Energy Prices and Data Centers Are at Center of a Utility Deal
Update: Added NYT article about NextEra’s proposed deal to acquire Dominion Energy.
Kevin O’Leary wants to cover 40,000 acres. Residents say, ‘Not in my backyard.’
AI data center projects are continuing to pop up across the US, with frequent opposition from locals concerned about their impact. Here are a few recent articles about the projects:
- Politico: A data center drained 30M gallons of water unnoticed — until residents complained about low water pressure
- Wired: xAI adds 19 new gas turbines despite ongoing lawsuit
- Portland’s KGW: Oregon data centers now have to pay full costs of expanding the power grid to meet their needs
- The Texas Tribune: Texas county pauses data center construction in rural areas for a year
And the jobs they promise don’t really exist.
[The Wall Street Journal]
That’s according to a new Pew Research Center survey. Similar numbers of both Republicans and Democrats also cite data centers, which are quickly becoming a bipartisan issue, as a major reason for higher costs.
[Pew Research Center]
As reported by The Salt Lake Tribune, the planned hyperscale data center in Box Elder County, when fully completed, is expected to use 9 gigawatts of power — more than double the 4 gigawatts of power used by the state right now. The project is backed in part by Shark Tank investor Kevin O’Leary.
Multibillion-dollar data center developments in Georgia are sparking bipartisan backlash, with Politico reporting that 47 percent of local voters oppose the plans. Given this is just one of several states experiencing an AI boom, similar opposition may also define local and statewide elections going forward.
This free, crowd-sourced tracker website is one of the most comprehensive attempts we’ve seen to keep tabs on where new data centers are being proposed. Maps are currently available across 18 states, with data compiled from public sources. You can read about the Data Center Proposal Tracker creator’s methodology here.
The plans, which were revealed in a letter seen by Wired, come in response to a bipartisan push to find out how much energy data centers are sucking up. The Energy Information Administration reportedly plans to launch the nationwide surveys after it wraps up pilot surveys in data center-heavy areas, such as Texas, Washington state, Washington DC, and northern Virginia.
The NAACP is suing xAI to block Elon Musk’s Colossus 2 data center project outside of Memphis, TN, claiming that the project is operating 27 gas turbines without an air permit and in violation of the Clean Air Act.
“By looking to evade clear air laws to operate dirty turbines that emit pollution and known carcinogens, these companies are following a shameful, familiar pattern: asking Black and frontline communities to bear the toxic brunt of ‘innovation,” said Abre’ Conner, NAACP Director of Environmental and Climate Justice.
Facing “unprecedented times,” NV Energy has decided to stop selling power to a small power utility serving 49,000 customers in Lake Tahoe, CalMatters reports. Data center requests are driving a tripling of expected peak power demand, according to NV Energy.
Most Popular
- The Light Flip is a minimalist flip phone with a point to prove
- Samsung’s wider Z Fold 8 feels just right
- The FCC is planning to retroactively ban disguised DJI gadgets
- Neill Blomkamp’s new zombie AI ‘film’ is just slop warmed over
- Apple’s rumored ‘Upgrade’ program brings lease-to-own pricing for iPhones, Macs, and iPads