Spokane County leaders held unknown discussions with data center developer seeking massive facility on West Plains

Spokane County commissioners recently delayed a vote on a proposed moratorium for new data centers, drawing attention to Commissioner Al French's previously undisclosed year-long discussions with a data center developer. The developer, Apricus Energy Solutions, led by President and CEO Sean Boyd, is seeking to build the "Rock Point Data Center Project" on the West Plains, near Medical Lake Highway and Spokane International Airport. This facility, which could eventually demand 1,000 megawatts of power, is intended to finance a separate hydrogen production facility.

The proposal has sparked controversy due to its immense electricity and water requirements, with an estimated power demand comparable to all residential and business users in Avista’s Washington and Idaho service area combined. Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown voiced concerns about the project's potential impact on city services and residents, supporting the City of Spokane's recent enactment of a data center moratorium and advocating for a similar measure at the county level. Public opposition is also evident, with a local resident, Brittany Anderson, filing a records request that uncovered communications between French, Avista officials, and Apricus Energy Solutions.

Despite earlier denials of knowledge about the specific company, Commissioner French has since clarified his involvement with Apricus, stating that he is an advocate for the project and has been approached by four developers for West Plains data centers. Apricus Energy Solutions aims to produce "clean energy" through hydrogen production, utilizing wastewater or treated water rather than groundwater to avoid aquifer depletion. The company is part of the Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Hub. While French supports the project, he insists that any data center must be self-sustaining and not raise electricity rates for existing users, particularly noting that the Washington State Department of Ecology would not support tapping into the aquifer. The project's power infrastructure alone is estimated to cost $184 million.