WUNC, WFAE, NC Local, and BPR Presents: Hyperscale, Hyperdrive

Reporters Katie Myers of Blue Ridge Public Radio, Adam Wagner from the North Carolina Newsroom, Zachary Turner from WFAE, and Celeste Alardo from WUNC News have collaborated on a project titled "Hyperscale, Hyperspeed." The initiative aims to address public questions surrounding data centers, which are essential for the internet and the burgeoning artificial intelligence sector. The reporters highlight that data centers come with substantial environmental and resource costs. A single data center can consume as much energy as an entire power plant produces annually, and their cooling systems require significant amounts of water. These demands have elevated data centers to a "hot-button political issue" across North Carolina. The collaborative project will explore what makes North Carolina an attractive location for data center development. It will also delve into the potential economic, environmental, and community impacts these facilities could have on the state. Listeners are encouraged to visit bpr.org, wfae.org, or wunc.org for full stories and to tune into "Morning Edition" and "All Things Considered" for more.