Piqua family speaks out about impact of future data center

The City of Piqua, Ohio, has formally approved plans for a new data center, a decision that has prompted a local family to speak out about their experience. Kasha Hancock of Dayton 24/7 Now reported on the city's approval of the project, which will be built off Fington and Washington roads. The news outlet sat down with a Piqua family, who wished to remain anonymous, whose former property will now be part of the future data center site. The family, who had resided in the Piqua area for 33 years, recounted receiving an offer to purchase their property in February 2024, which they initially resisted. However, they ultimately felt compelled to sell due to fears about what would be constructed next to their home. This decision came more than a year before the Piqua City Commission passed a resolution to greenlight the data center. Community members have voiced significant concerns about the project's potential environmental impact, including strain on local water resources, increased noise levels, and high energy consumption. Despite these concerns, city officials assert that the 607-acre development will feature two data center buildings incorporating advanced, highly efficient water and power usage systems. The city also projects that the project will create over 1,000 jobs during its 3-5 year construction phase and 50 full-time positions upon completion. The identity of the company behind the data center is expected to be disclosed later this year.