As reported in the BG Independent News, Meta is building a massive data center in Middleton Township (see “Meta reveals plans for $800 million data center north of BG”). In the article, a Meta spokesperson claimed the center’s electricity use “will be matched with 100% clean and renewable energy.” I don’t know what that means, but I do know that Meta has an agreement with First Energy to build new infrastructure and has plans to construct a 350-megawatt gas-powered generator to supply electricity for the sole use of the data center. I read that a generator of that size produces enough electricity to power 140,000 to 315,000 homes. Thus, the data center could double or triple the amount of electricity currently being used in Wood County.
Burning natural gas may be cleaner than coal, but it still produces toxic chemicals such as methane, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen oxides. Meta’s new power plant could double or triple the amount of air pollution we have in Wood County. It could double or triple the demand for natural gas, causing electricity bills to rise.
Data centers are controversial, but I hope we can agree that when they are built, they should be constructed, and located, in a manner that minimizes their impact on humans and on the environment. Some companies are building data centers underground, which minimizes noise pollution and allows for geothermal cooling. In Finland and Sweden, excess heat from data centers is being used to heat homes.
We also need to examine the explosion in the number of data centers. Venture capitalists are betting that the need for artificial intelligence will expand dramatically, and they are rushing to get into the game. According to MIT Technology, China built hundreds of data centers, and many of them are not being used. Some experts believe the AI industry is expanding too rapidly and is a “bubble” that will burst, creating a financial crisis similar to the dot com crisis that occurred 25 years ago. If this happens, the residents of Wood County could be stuck with abandoned mega structures and unpaid bills for infrastructure improvements.
Given how complicated data centers are, and how little most people know about them, a moratorium on construction seems appropriate. This will give us time to better understand if data centers benefit us and if they are being built in a way that minimizes their negative impact. Township trustees can impose a moratorium. I encourage you to find out which township you are in, and to ask your trustees to propose, and then vote for, a moratorium on data centers.
If you have questions or concerns about the gas power plant that Meta wants to build, contact the Ohio Power Siting Board. That agency is reviewing the permit for the plant and will vote on its approval at the beginning of February.
Debbie Dalke
Bowling Green
