‘A really big issue’: Chesterfield residents question data center representatives
Chesterfield County residents, including local high school students, questioned representatives from Google, Dominion Energy and Chirisa about as many as nine data center projects planned or under construction in the county. Concerns included water and electricity use, diesel generators, environmental compliance and transparency after Virginia environmental regulators cited Google for violations at its Project Peanut site.
Residents gathered at Brightpoint Community College to question representatives from Google, Dominion Energy and Chirisa about the rapid expansion of data centers in Chesterfield County. Up to nine projects could be located in the county, with seven already built or under construction. Attendees raised concerns about electricity reliability, water supplies, air pollution, diesel backup generators and whether companies will comply with local and state requirements.
The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality cited Google for several environmental violations at the Project Peanut construction site. Google said the violations were self-reported and acknowledged that additional improvements are needed. During the meeting, Google also said it would generally stop seeking nondisclosure agreements in response to public concerns about transparency.