‘Too many unanswered questions’: Concord Planning Board defers decision on ‘micro’ data center proposal
Concord’s Planning Board deferred a decision on Levitate Inc.’s proposed micro data center on Locke Road after residents raised concerns about its electricity use, grid impacts, noise, wetlands and cooling-fluid leaks. The board requested additional technical information and scheduled a continued hearing for Nov. 18.
The Concord Planning Board postponed action on a proposed micro data center on Locke Road, directing Levitate Inc. and its engineering partner to provide more detailed information about electricity demand, potential effects on the regional power grid, future expansion and cooling-system risks. The facility’s servers are estimated to require 13.5 megawatts, with annual consumption potentially reaching 118,260 megawatt-hours.
Residents strongly opposed the project, citing impacts on protected wetlands, noise, backup generators, hazardous cooling fluid and the possibility that Concord could become a testing ground for similar facilities. Levitate CEO Ryan Howard defended the application, while attorney Ari Pollack said it complied with current rules and noted that neither the city nor state has a data center moratorium. The board continued the public hearing to Nov. 18 and requested an independent utility analysis, potentially from Unitil.