Savannah town hall to tackle data center boom

Savannah residents are slated to attend a town hall meeting on Wednesday evening to address Georgia's burgeoning data center industry and its implications for local utilities and the environment. Hosted by Savannah Indivisible at the Otis Johnson Cultural Arts Center, the event aims to inform the public about the rapid expansion of data centers across the state. Georgia Public Service Commissioner Peter Hubbard emphasized the necessity of understanding these facilities, noting that while the data center boom cannot be ignored, policies must be properly shaped. Critics, including climate activists, have voiced concerns over the significant water and electricity consumption by data centers, which support cloud storage, web services, and AI computing. Hubbard highlighted the dual challenge facing Savannah, balancing clean energy aspirations with future climate change impacts. He stressed the importance of providing information to voters so they can make informed decisions about data center development in their communities. Georgia currently ranks eighth nationally with over 100 data centers, a figure projected to rise to third place given the extensive construction plans. The town hall is scheduled from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.