Project Tango fuels debate over Florida’s first hyperscale AI data center
Project Tango, a proposed hyperscale AI data center in western Palm Beach County, Florida, has been met with significant community opposition over environmental concerns like water, heat, and noise. Developers sought to expand the project's original master plan, but the Palm Beach County Commission recently denied the expansion in a 5-1 vote. This case is seen as a test for future hyperscale data centers in South Florida.
Project Tango, a proposed hyperscale AI data center in western Palm Beach County, Florida, has become a focal point of debate. Located near the Arden residential community and an elementary school just outside of Wellington, the project plans for 600 megawatts of power across five buildings, totaling approximately one million square feet. Its site was chosen due to its proximity to a major power plant and existing industrial zoning.
Developers were seeking to expand Project Tango's original master plan by 1.5 million square feet, primarily for warehouses but also potentially for more data center space. This proposed expansion, however, generated fierce opposition from residents and environmentalists concerned about water usage, increased heat, and constant noise, particularly impacting the nearby equestrian community. The Project Tango team asserts their closed-loop cooling system will minimize water use and that extensive buffering by concrete buildings, berms, and trees will mitigate noise and heat impacts.
Concerns also extended to electricity consumption, with residents fearing higher power bills. In response, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed Senate Bill 484 in May, prohibiting utilities like Florida Power & Light from passing data center costs to residents, mandating that data center companies fully fund new power generation costs. Despite these measures and developers' assurances, the Palm Beach zoning committee recommended denial of the expansion plans, citing non-compliance with zoning laws.
Ultimately, the Palm Beach County Commission denied Project Tango's expansion master plan in a 5-1 vote. This decision comes ahead of a planned national day of protest against AI data centers, with several events scheduled in Florida. The outcome for Project Tango is viewed as a significant test case, potentially influencing future hyperscale data center developments across South Florida.