'Big' data centers a no-go in Surry

Local officials in Surry County and Mount Airy, North Carolina, are offering assurances to residents that large-scale data center developments are unlikely to target their area, amidst growing regional controversy over such facilities. Blake Moyer, President of the Surry Economic Development Partnership, explained that Surry County generally lacks the capacity and suitable land for "big" data centers, identifying only one potential site near an electrical substation in the Elkin area. Mount Airy Mayor Jon Cawley echoed Moyer's sentiments, stating that Mount Airy specifically does not have the necessary space. Mayor Cawley also highlighted the existence of a smaller data storage center within the city's Piedmont Triad West Corporate Park, which Phoenix Industries constructed between 2020 and 2021 and has operated without incident. Both officials acknowledged the widespread public backlash against large data centers, primarily due to concerns about their significant consumption of electricity and water, strain on power grids, and overall environmental impact. They referenced the situation in neighboring Stokes County, where the proposed Project Delta Data Center on a nearly 2,000-acre parcel has generated considerable controversy. The Stokes County Board of Commissioners had voted to rezone the property for heavy industrial use, but a lawsuit was subsequently filed to block the project, prompting the commissioners to vote to restart development. Surry County officials assert their strong zoning structure would prevent similar unmanaged developments, and Mayor Cawley noted that modern data centers are reportedly becoming more water-efficient.