Elk River hosts hearing on proposed data center
The City of Elk River is holding public hearings regarding a proposed 58,000 square foot data center. Residents have raised concerns about the project's impact on electricity, water, and noise, which the city administrator is addressing. The city is also considering adding this type of use to its ordinance and implementing energy draw limits.
The City of Elk River is hosting public hearings concerning a proposed 58,000 square-foot data center to be built in an industrial park off Highway 10, repurposing a currently vacant building. This would be the city's third data center, with two others established in 2006 and 2007. City Administrator Calvin Porter explained that the new facility, expected to employ about 40 people, is considerably smaller than "hyperscale" data centers and would feature a closed-loop cooling system, ensuring no impact on local aquifers or water sources.
Residents have voiced concerns regarding the project's potential effects on the city's electrical supply, water resources, noise, and light pollution. Porter clarified that Elk River Municipal Utilities has existing capacity to handle the demand, with new infrastructure costs covered by the developer, not taxpayers. He also noted that the data center's consistent energy use would help stabilize electrical rates across the utility system. Furthermore, the city plans to require a third-party noise study and a full environmental workup.
The city is reviewing whether this use fits their light industrial business park and will need to add this type of use to its ordinance, which currently does not cover data centers. They also expect to set strong limits on energy draw to prevent it from becoming an AI-type data center, focusing instead on cloud storage demands.