San Diego Officials Oppose Potential 400-Megawatt Data Center at Old Town NAVWAR Site
San Diego and California officials, along with community members, are opposing Manchester Financial Group's potential 400-megawatt data center at the former NAVWAR site in Old Town. Mayor Todd Gloria signed an executive order pausing new data center construction in the city, but officials acknowledge the pause may not apply to the federally controlled Navy property.
San Diego officials and residents rallied against a potential 400-megawatt data center that Manchester Financial Group is considering for the 60-acre redevelopment area at the Naval Information Warfare Systems Command site in Old Town. Manchester is negotiating with the U.S. Navy alongside Virginia-based Edgemoor Infrastructure and Real Estate under a public-private partnership that would also provide new NAVWAR facilities.
Mayor Todd Gloria signed an executive order pausing construction of new data centers in San Diego, while Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera backed the pause and said he is drafting rules requiring renewable energy, consumer protections from grid-upgrade costs and setbacks from homes and schools. Officials said the city may have limited authority over the federally controlled site, and they criticized the project's potential electricity and water demands, with the facility projected to consume power equivalent to about 320,000 homes.