Data centers are coming to Oklahoma. Leaders at a recent Tulsa forum advise turning the challenge into an opportunity
A forum in Tulsa, Oklahoma, brought together lawmakers, experts, and residents to discuss the economic and environmental impacts of incoming AI data centers in the state. Concerns were raised about tax breaks, electricity rates, and water usage, with new state legislation (House Bill 2992) enacted to protect ratepayers. Panelists urged communities to demand more from developers and politicians.
A forum held in Tulsa, Oklahoma, convened state lawmakers, policy experts, and local residents to address the proliferation of AI data centers across the state and their associated costs to the public. Brad Carson, former University of Tulsa president and co-founder of Americans for Responsible Innovation, criticized the generous tax exemptions offered to data center companies, citing Meta's "Project Anthem" in Tulsa which received an 85% property tax exemption for 25 years. Carson argued that communities are not demanding sufficient returns for these concessions, emphasizing that compensatory payments are not charity but replacements for granted tax breaks.
Concerns were highlighted regarding water usage and electricity rates, with Carson suggesting that technological advancements will mitigate these issues within three to four years. However, State Representative Amanda Clinton (D-Tulsa), a co-author of House Bill 2992, acknowledged that while the bill aims to protect ratepayers from the energy costs of large-scale users like data centers, it could be stronger. HB 2992, signed into law in May and effective July 1, requires large energy users to provide 60 days' notice and hold public meetings before land purchases and allows the Oklahoma Corporation Commission to set tariffs.
Clinton also expressed reservations about a separate 2025 law allowing large energy users to build their own behind-the-meter power plants, fearing a potential lack of regulation, especially given recent discussions about relaxing emissions standards. Both Clinton and Carson advocated for data centers to be located in industrial parks rather than farmland and urged Oklahomans to be more assertive in negotiations with developers and politicians, asserting that the state is currently giving away too much for too little in return. According to the Data Center Map database, Oklahoma hosts 48 data centers, with 33 located in or around Tulsa.