Oxmoor Valley residents voice opposition to AI factory substation at zoning meeting

Birmingham, AL -- Residents of the Oxmoor Valley community in Birmingham voiced strong opposition at a recent zoning meeting regarding a proposed utility substation intended to power a new data center by Nebius, which will support an artificial intelligence factory. Joey Amberson, president of the Oxmoor Glen subdivision, stated, "We don't want this in our neighborhood, it's not good for our area and we just wanted to show our numbers." Concerns raised by community members included potential negative impacts on home values, environmental issues, and the chosen location for the facility. Despite the significant community pushback, the permit for the primary substation was approved by the board, a decision met with disapproval from the attending residents. One community member acknowledged the need for such facilities due to increasing data but stressed that "these type of facilities just don't need to be in the neighborhoods." Nebius, through spokesperson John Sutter, maintained that the data center would be beneficial for the area and would not negatively affect the environment. During the same meeting, however, the board denied an exception for a second substation proposed by Nebius.