Norwich Township leaders have safety concerns over data center power supply
Local leaders in Norwich Township, Ohio, are raising significant safety and environmental concerns over Amazon's plan to power a data center using a natural gas fuel cell system. Amazon is using a state law to bypass local approval for this energy source, leading to a lack of critical information for local authorities, including the fire department.
Norwich Township leaders are expressing serious safety concerns regarding a new energy source proposed for an Amazon data center in the area, which encompasses much of Hilliard. Amazon plans to use fuel cell technology, which would be the second-largest system of its kind globally, to power the data center.
The initial Amazon data center was approved in 2022, but the current dispute focuses on its power supply. Amazon intends to use a 228-fuel cell system powered by natural gas, which is projected to output over a million pounds of carbon dioxide daily if run continuously. This differs from typical, cleaner fuel cell technology that uses liquid hydrogen and oxygen. Amazon is bypassing local approval by citing a state law that allows them to go directly to the Ohio Power Siting Board for major utility projects.
Local officials, including Norwich Township Fire Chief David Baird, state they lack crucial information, such as project drawings and emergency response plans, necessary for public safety despite requesting them from Amazon. While Amazon asserts the technology is safe and their sites have emergency response plans, local leaders feel they are being asked to trust without verification, especially given the project's proximity to a playground, neighborhood, and school. The community is concerned about both the safety implications and the significant carbon emissions.