'Large electrical load' data centers considered for Sacramento area
The Sacramento Municipal Utility District says two data center projects exceeding 50 megawatts each are in early feasibility and transmission studies, though their exact locations have not been disclosed. Residents raised concerns about grid demand, emissions, noise and air quality, with a fuller discussion scheduled for the utility board’s Nov. 11 meeting.
The Sacramento Municipal Utility District confirmed that two potential data center projects in its service territory each have electrical demands exceeding 50 megawatts, which would make them among the largest data center developments in the Sacramento region. One project is associated with Link Logistics, a Blackstone subsidiary, and is being planned in southeast Sacramento; SMUD has not disclosed the locations of either project because of customer confidentiality requirements.
Both proposals remain in early feasibility and transmission-study stages, and any eventual approvals would have to come before a local city or county government. Residents who attended a SMUD committee meeting criticized the prospect of additional large-load facilities, citing greenhouse gas emissions, noise and air-quality concerns. SMUD officials said new customers would be responsible for infrastructure and grid-upgrade costs, while the utility weighs the projects alongside its electricity procurement plans and reduced expectations for meeting its 2030 zero-carbon goal.