An AI data center project for western Kansas might use less water than irrigation farming
Triple Oak Power is proposing an AI data center project on 6,000 acres of farmland in Finney County, Kansas, near Garden City. The company argues the project will significantly reduce water usage compared to current irrigation farming on the property. Despite local opposition, Finney County officials have approved a key special use permit for the development.
Triple Oak Power is pursuing an AI data center project in Finney County, Kansas, near Garden City, proposing to build a facility on 6,000 acres of farmland. The project includes a data center, solar panels, wind turbines, and a natural gas plant. Ann Gravatt, representing Triple Oak Power, claims the data center will use significantly less water (an estimated 600 million gallons per year) than the current irrigation of crops on the land, which consumes five times that amount, amounting to 3.2 billion gallons annually.
The proposal faces skepticism and opposition from local residents, including brothers Tucker and Jackson Turner, who have formed the "Stop Finney County Kansas Data Center" Facebook page. Concerns raised include the data center's water consumption in a region dependent on the shrinking Ogallala Aquifer, potential soil erosion from solar panel installation, and a lack of transparency from the company and Finney County officials. Jackson Turner questioned the company's accountability regarding environmental risks.
Despite the opposition, Finney County officials, including the Finney County Economic Development Corporation Director Lona Duvall, approved a special use permit for the project in early June. Duvall highlighted the potential economic benefits, including over $80 million in taxes and 600 construction jobs over 30 years, and the diversification of the community's farming economy into tech. Groundwater Management District 3 civil engineer Trevor Ahring noted that from a water usage perspective, the project would indeed reduce consumption compared to existing farming, potentially freeing up water for neighboring farmers, although previous estimates of water use on the property differed.
The project hinges on Triple Oak Power securing a deal with a digital infrastructure company to operate the data center. The company would also need to invest at least $250 million within five years, create 20 full-time jobs within two years, and implement a water conservation plan to qualify for tax abatements.