Florida's commerce secretary comes out strongly against proposed AI data center

Florida Commerce Secretary Alex Kelly has strongly denounced a proposal for what would be the state's first AI data center, citing substantial risks to Florida's water supply, energy capacity, and economy. In a sharply worded letter addressed to the Fort Meade City Commission on Friday, Secretary Kelly stated that the plan for the data center on 1,300 acres in rural Polk County is "fundamentally flawed." This official opposition follows the Fort Meade City Commission's unanimous approval of the project last week, an approval that came despite protests from local residents. Secretary Kelly's letter echoes Governor Ron DeSantis's broader concerns regarding artificial intelligence developments. Kelly highlighted that the proposed facility, developed by Stonebridge, would require extensive commitments of natural resources, including water and energy, which he believes have been "woefully underestimated" by the developer. Stonebridge initially indicated a need for 140,000 gallons of water per day for data center operations, later revising this to 50,000 gallons per day solely for everyday services. Secretary Kelly's department's preliminary review, however, suggests that even 50,000 gallons per day is a "minimum demand" and that the overall projected water use for a 4,400,000 sq ft data center is severely understated. The unnamed operator for the data center has not yet been disclosed. Further permits for the project, known as "Project Stonebridge," are still required from the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFMD). A letter from SWFMD to the City of Fort Meade on April 14 noted that the projected water demand, crucial for the permit, was not included and must be approved by SWFMD's governing board at a future public meeting.