Brecheen gives views on data centers, smelter, election denial in McAlester
Congressman Josh Brecheen discussed concerns about data centers, specifically focusing on their potential to drive up electricity and water costs in Oklahoma. He co-sponsors a bill requiring the Secretary of Energy to report on data center utility usage to provide transparency to the public. This discussion occurred during a town hall in McAlester, with a data center near Kiowa, Oklahoma, being a specific point of concern.
Congressman Josh Brecheen, while on his town hall tour, addressed concerns regarding data centers during a stop in McAlester, Oklahoma. A key point of discussion among attendees was the Australia-based IREN data center under development near Kiowa. Rep. Brecheen highlighted the importance of ensuring data center operations do not inflate electricity costs for residents, emphasizing the need for transparency on such matters.
He informed the audience that he co-sponsors HR9019, a bill designed to mandate the Secretary of Energy to report to Congress on the electricity and water consumption of data centers. Brecheen stated that the goal of the legislation is to provide information to the public rather than to create a new regulatory framework. The congressman also discussed his endorsement of Mike Mazzei for Governor and touched upon the Inola aluminum smelter project, as well as his personal views on the 2020 Presidential Election.