WTOC heads to Abilene, Texas to learn more about the impact of data centers on the community
WTOC reports from Abilene, Texas, where the Stargate AI data center campus is affecting nearby residents. Residents describe noise, nighttime lighting, construction activity and increased traffic, while the project represents a major expansion of AI infrastructure in the community.
WTOC reporter Steven Glover visited Abilene, Texas, to examine the community effects of the Stargate AI data center campus. The 875-acre campus was developed by Crusoe as the first campus in OpenAI's broader AI infrastructure effort, with cloud capacity provided by Oracle. A separate 1,400-acre Project Camellia is also planned in nearby Effingham County, according to the report.
Melissa Caton, who lives next to the Stargate site, said construction that began in 2023 has transformed the previously quiet area. She described hearing equipment and alarms, seeing bright lights at night and experiencing other disruptions, while residents broadly cited traffic and cost-of-living concerns as impacts of the development.