Data centers loom over the New Castle County Council primary election campaigns
The New Castle County Council primary elections are heavily focused on the debate surrounding data center regulations, including proposals for new rules, retroactive application, and a potential moratorium. Candidates are divided on these issues, which concern the environmental impacts, water usage, and potential increases in electricity costs. The outcome of these races will significantly influence future data center policy in the county.
The primary election campaigns for the New Castle County Council are significantly shaped by the ongoing debate over data center regulation in northern Delaware. Voters will decide on three key council seats currently held by retiring Councilmembers Janet Kilpatrick and Penrose Hollins, and an incumbent, Valerie George, who is facing a challenger. The candidates are sharply divided, particularly on whether to impose stricter data center rules retroactively on projects already submitted, such as the controversial "Project Washington" in Delaware City.
Several candidates, including Syam Kosigi, Jason Hoover, and Kira Alejandro, support a moratorium on new data center land-use applications. They express concerns that existing regulations are insufficient to protect residents from potential impacts on the electric grid, environment, and rising electric bills. Hoover, an engineer, cited a study suggesting proposed data centers could increase Delaware's wholesale electric rate by 80%, while Alejandro highlighted the environmental costs of massive cooling systems and water consumption.
Conversely, candidates like Curtis Linton and Kyle Grantham are hesitant about a moratorium and oppose retroactive application of regulations. They raise concerns about the legality of such moves and potential economic repercussions, arguing that it could discourage other industries from investing in Delaware. New Castle County passed general data center regulations last March, requiring buffer zones and energy-efficient backup generators, but the current debate centers on strengthening these rules and applying them to projects already in the pipeline.