There is a huge debate and divide over proposed data centers.
I have read numerous articles and watched television news reports about these facilities. It seems that wherever they are proposed or being built, there are both positive and negative sides to the story.
If you are like me, you are not very knowledgeable about data centers.
Just what is a data center?
My research online said that “a data center is a specialized facility that houses computing infrastructure, including servers, storage devices and networking equipment, to process, store and distribute digital data efficiently.”
There are two proposed data facilities for Mingo County. One is at Wharncliff near the town of Gilbert, on the site of the former Twisted Gun Golf Course. The other is planned for the Harless Industrial Park on 22 Mine Road, near Holden, on the Mingo-Logan county line.
The two proposed data centers in Mingo County are part of the Adams Fork Energy project by TransGas Development Systems LLC. They are reportedly intended to be powered by two off-grid natural gas-fueled “microgrid” power plants, according to my research.
Both facilities are part of a larger development that also includes an ammonia plant and two methane power plants. The DEP is reviewing air-quality permit applications for these projects, according to information I found online.
One is currently being built in Mason County, West Virginia, and the folks living in the neighborhood beside the construction site are not happy. They recently experienced some flooding due to the land excavation and site construction. Some families have complained about the noise from construction adjacent to their homes. I saw a news report where the company has offered to purchase those homes from those families. However, it is tough for people to leave their homes and find another home in an area with limited housing.
Other counties in the state have proposed data centers, pending permit approval and land acquisition.
Data centers are very controversial among many environmental advocates due to their high energy and water consumption, local environmental impacts, and perceived limited economic benefits for many communities.
They apparently require enormous amounts of electricity to power servers and cooling systems, often straining local power grids and potentially raising electricity rates for residents. They are also alleged to consume large quantities of water for cooling, which can stress local water supplies.
Public opposition has grown sharply, with some surveys showing that a majority of Americans oppose nearby data center construction in their towns or neighborhoods.
Apparently they can vary in size, but most take up a lot of space.
Data centers are typically classified by ownership model, scale and intended use.
The argument over data centers focuses on technological and economic benefits with environmental sustainability and community well-being.
While they are critical for AI, cloud services and digital infrastructure, their local impacts can be negative – such as high energy and water use and limited job creation.
The AI story is a separate debate. I am not sure about it either. It sort of scares me, but perhaps we need it to keep up with China, Russia and other countries.
So for now, I am neither pro nor con on the data centers. However, I am keeping a watchful eye on the news reports and trying to take in information from both sides of the argument.
I just hope that the ones already built or under construction will have beneficial uses and will not be as bad for the environment as many say.
It should be interesting. I do not think they are going away, but are here to stay. Whether you have one in your neck of the woods remains to be seen.
Until next time.
(Kyle Lovern is a longtime journalist in the Tug Valley. He is now a retired freelance writer and columnist for the Mountain Citizen.)