In Durham County, Debate Around Data Centers Focuses on the Research Economy

Durham County has imposed a nine-month moratorium on data center development, following similar actions by other North Carolina municipalities like the City of Durham, Town of Cary, Apex, Orange, and Chatham counties. Unlike many areas passing such bans, Durham is home to the Research Triangle Park (RTP) and approximately 14 existing data centers. The county's Board of County Commissioners voted 4-1 on August 24 to enact the moratorium, including four exemptions tailored to accommodate the local research economy, such as a carveout for data centers under 100,000 square feet using closed-loop cooling and non-diesel backup power. Commissioners Michelle Burton, Wendy Jacobs, Stephen Valentine, and board chair Mike Lee voted in favor, while Commissioner Nida Allam voted against.

The decision sparked significant public opposition, with about 60 residents speaking against the exemptions, arguing they dilute the moratorium's purpose of allowing staff to develop comprehensive regulations. Opponents cited concerns over environmental impacts, high water usage for cooling (even in closed-loop systems), and increased electricity costs for residents due to data center demand. Pablo Friedman, a Durham resident, noted the burden on residential ratepayers from increased grid demands, referencing a legal dispute between Duke Energy and the state attorney general over rate hikes linked to data center needs.

Commissioner Allam successfully introduced an amendment requiring data centers to disclose water usage and fuel consumption during the moratorium, aiming for greater transparency. Sara Young, director of the joint city-county planning department, highlighted that data centers lack a specific use type in Durham’s land use regulations, making project assessment difficult, and administrative applications have been updated to require disclosure. Prominent companies like Dell and CyrusOne already operate significant data centers in the county, along with smaller facilities by Syngenta and Measurement Inc. Proponents of the exemptions, including Scott Levitan of the Research Triangle Foundation and Ramsay Ritchie of the Durham Chamber of Commerce, argued that RTP companies rely on data processing and that not all data centers pose the same risks, seeking a balanced approach to development.