Public hearing on another gas-fired power plant for a data center set for Oct. 22 in New Albany
The Ohio Power Siting Board scheduled an Oct. 22 public hearing on the proposed PowerConneX New Albany 3 Energy Center, a gas-fired facility intended to provide electricity to a large data center in New Albany. The project would include about 1.3 million square feet of data center space and require wetland impacts and removal of 65 acres of trees, while opposition has emerged over environmental and air-quality concerns.
The Ohio Power Siting Board will hold an Oct. 22 public hearing in New Albany on the proposed PowerConneX New Albany 3 Energy Center, a natural gas-powered facility associated with an approximately 1.3-million-square-foot data center. The project would include four data halls, an electrical substation, 30 natural-gas generator engines, emergency diesel generators and related infrastructure on a 170-acre site along Harrison Road.
The proposal would remove about 65 acres of trees and fill 5.86 acres of isolated wetlands. EdgeConneX has proposed purchasing 14.7 acres of forested mitigation credits, while project opponents have raised concerns about wetlands, watershed impacts, air quality and the growing number of gas-fired plants serving data centers in western Licking County. A separate 500-megawatt plant proposed by Will-Power also drew opposition at an earlier hearing.