Data Centers
Amid community opposition, Alabama hyperscale data center project hits a speed bump
A vote by City Council members in Bessemer to send the proposal back to its planning and zoning commission could delay its final consideration by weeks, if not months. Residents worry the pause is only delaying the inevitable.
Inside the Memphis Chamber of Commerce’s push for Elon Musk’s xAI data center
In the face of intense public opposition, the city’s Chamber of Commerce has gone to unusual lengths to promote Musk’s xAI facility: sending out a mailer, for the first time in recent memory, that includes misleading facts.
Not just electricity — water supplies will be taxed by data centers
Proposed mines, factories and data centers threaten to deplete the underground aquifers that supply up to 40% of the Great Lakes’ volume — and drinking water reserves for nearly three-quarters of Minnesotans.
The West’s data centers suck (water and power)
From simple searches to chatGPT, the big digital buildup threatens the grid and water supplies.
AI as the power beast — can we tame it?
COMMENTARY | Companies are pledging to spend billions of dollars on data centers to deal with the increased compute power. But it will strain resources, and other questions remain.
For massive Great Falls, Montana data center proposal, energy supply is crucial to push project forward
The data center’s projected electricity needs of up to 600 megawatts will likely require new power sources, transmission upgrades or both.
Virginia doesn’t have statewide data center regulations. Localities are making their own rules.
Without statewide rules in place, local governments have been scrambling to put regulations on the growing data center industry.
New Mexico governor touts $1B partnership on new geothermal plant for Meta’s data center power needs
Officials and academics say New Mexico is poised to be a geothermal leader after Michelle Lujan Grisham announced what she called a “big damn deal” for green energy production.
Minnesota lawmakers extend tax breaks for Big Tech data centers
The once boutique tax subsidy has exploded in cost in recent years, as tech companies chased the benefit to meet ever increasing demand for computing power.
US agencies assessed Chinese telecom hackers likely hit data center and residential internet providers
Data center giant Digital Realty and mass media titan Comcast were documented as likely victims of the Salt Typhoon cyberespionage group, people familiar say, marking a potentially major expansion of the group’s initial telecom hacking campaign discovered last year.
Meta strikes 20-year nuclear power deal with Constellation Energy
It’s the latest Big Tech company to secure electricity from nuclear as power demand grows for its data centers and artificial intelligence computing.
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Kansas City, Kansas, planning commission advances proposed $12.6B data center
Critics shared concerns about electricity consumption, site location for the 550-acre business park before the commission advanced the plan.
‘It will destroy this place’: Tucker County residents fight for future against proposed data center
As a little known company has proposed a data center and natural gas plant in the West Virginia tourism destination — known for its natural wonder and outdoor recreation — residents are left with questions, mounting concerns and few answers.
Report highlights community pushback stalling $64 billion in data center development nationwide
In Virginia, the globe’s largest concentration of data centers, and nationally, local opposition has coalesced into a powerful, bipartisan force.
Data centers defend environmental record amid AI push
Several states are worried about the power and water impacts of the centers needed to power the technology. But the industry moved to assure those concerned that they have it under control.
Governor rejects fast-track for small nuclear reactors at Arizona data centers
Katie Hobbs vetoes Arizona small modular nuclear reactor veto bill that would have exempted unproven technology from environmental review.
New Jersey taps the private sector to facilitate AI innovation and talent
Under two new programs, the state aims to leverage the private sector to help advance its goal of leading in artificial technology innovation.
As demand for AI rises, so do power thirsty data centers
As data centers are developed in new communities across the country, residents and their state legislators see a mix of financial benefits with energy and environmental challenges.
Lawmakers fear AI data centers will drive up residents’ power bills
Roughly a dozen proposals in state legislatures nationwide seek to ensure that data centers don’t result in increased rates for other electric customers.
Legislators propose bills to back data centers, legislate blockchain technology
Cryptocurrency, blockchain technology and data centers are under the microscope as critics point to their energy and reputation problems.
OpenAI anticipates rapid data center scaling thanks to Trump
OpenAI Chief Product Officer Kevin Weil said the company’s AI offerings will benefit from the Trump administration’s tech policy and industry infrastructure projects.
