Data center proposed in Ames
A new data center proposed by Lightedge for construction in Ames, Iowa, is facing significant community opposition due to concerns about electrical grid capacity, water usage, noise pollution, and potential impacts on utility rates. The Ames City Council is scheduled to hold a first reading and public listening session on the proposal, which would require up to 25 megawatts at full buildout. Residents have started an online petition and a Facebook group to voice their concerns and advocate for alternative solutions.
A proposal for a new Lightedge data center in Ames, Iowa, has ignited controversy among residents, according to the Ames City Council Agenda. The facility, slated for a 10.86-acre site near the Ames Municipal Airport on Aviation Way, is set to be discussed by the Ames City Council during a first reading on June 23, with a follow-up public listening session on June 30.
Local residents have raised significant concerns regarding the project's impact on electrical capacity, transmission infrastructure, water quality, noise pollution, and utility rates. The proposed data center's first phase alone would demand 3 megawatts of electricity, potentially escalating to 25 megawatts at full buildout. Danny Glock, an environmental engineering junior and Ames Water Treatment Plant employee, voiced strong opposition, stating that Ames' electrical grid is already operating at 99% capacity and criticizing the proposal's vagueness regarding energy solutions.
Despite Lightedge's proposal of a closed-loop air cooling system and environmentally responsible coolant, the facility would still require 5,000 gallons of Ames' drinking water for its initial phase. Community efforts, including an online petition with over 2,500 signatures and a Facebook group called "Ames vs Data Centers," are actively seeking to block the project or advocate for more sustainable development practices, such as increased renewable energy use and advanced water-cycling technology. Lightedge declined to comment when contacted by the Iowa State Daily.