New data center planned in Colorado Springs sparks concerns from community

Raeden, a tech and real estate company based in Oakland, California, is proposing a new data center development, known as "Project Taurus," in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The planned facility would be located near the Garden of the Gods and replace a former Intel Microchip manufacturing plant. The announcement has prompted significant community concern, with residents expressing worries about increased utility costs due to high energy consumption, potential noise pollution, and the project's impact on local water resources. Raeden co-founder and COO Jason Green addressed these concerns, stating the facility is designed to operate with an air-cooled chilling system that requires no water for cooling. The company also projects a lower power draw of 50 megawatts compared to most data centers and plans to mitigate noise with specialized fencing and generator boxes to stay below the city's 50-decibel sound requirement. Colorado Springs Utilities confirmed that large businesses using over 10 megawatts would solely fund their necessary infrastructure and power. The City of Colorado Springs has scheduled a neighborhood meeting for April 7th at the Hyatt Place hotel, allowing residents to voice their input on the proposed data center.