Oldham County close to capping data center electricity use
Oldham County, Kentucky, is close to adopting new regulations for data centers, including a proposed 10-megawatt electricity consumption cap that would effectively ban hyperscale facilities. The regulations also require a two-week public notice for residents living near new data center sites and mandate setbacks from schools and hospitals. A vote on these measures is scheduled for October 6th.
Oldham County in Kentucky is on the verge of implementing new regulations for data centers, including a significant provision that would cap electricity use at 10 megawatts. This limit is expected to effectively ban hyperscale data centers, which typically consume much more power, such as a nearby facility in Carrollton that consumes 800 megawatts, equivalent to powering 600,000 homes. Another data center planned for Louisville's Rubbertown neighborhood is projected to use 400 megawatts.
The proposed regulations also include requirements for a two-week public notice for residents within 1,000 feet of a new data center site, as well as mandatory setbacks from schools and hospitals. Developers like Poe Companies, responsible for projects in Louisville and Carrollton, note that the Campground Road data center in Louisville could generate around $68 million annually in tax revenue by 2030. Oldham County is scheduled to vote on these new data center regulations on October 6th.