Declo, Idaho Data Center Plan Divides Rural Town
TerraVolt Holdings has optioned roughly 1,000 to 1,077 acres east of Declo for a data center campus powered by an on-site natural-gas plant. The proposal has divided residents over economic benefits, water and power impacts, and the project's proximity to homes, while Cassia County approval is still required and an open house is scheduled.
TerraVolt Holdings has announced option agreements for land east of Declo in Cassia County, where it proposes developing a data center campus with up to 240 megawatts of dedicated natural-gas generation. The company says the project would increase the local tax base, create jobs and use low-water cooling systems, including closed-loop technology, without affecting local power rates or agricultural water supplies.
The proposal has split the rural community. Property owner Jesse Wickel supports the sale, citing economic survival and future opportunities for his family, while rancher and business owner Les Hedges opposes a data center less than a mile from his home. Many other residents have not formed an opinion, and discussions have continued on social media.
The project is not yet approved because data centers are not currently a permitted use in Cassia County. The county building and zoning department and county commission would need to authorize it, with an open house scheduled at the local high school. The proposal is also emerging amid broader Idaho concerns about data center electricity and water use, including Bannock County's temporary halt on processing applications in unincorporated areas while it develops a data center ordinance.