Oklahoma Data Center Expansion Sparks Opposition and Lawsuit
Oklahoma is experiencing a rapid expansion of hyperscale data centers, leading to significant public opposition due to concerns about high electricity and water consumption and rising utility bills. Despite these concerns and a lawsuit filed by local residents, the Sand Springs City Council approved rezoning for a large Google data center. The state legislature has passed bills to mitigate some harms, but critics call for more decisive action.
Oklahoma is undergoing a significant increase in hyperscale data center development, prompting widespread concern among residents regarding the environmental impact and potential spikes in utility costs. Governor Kevin Stitt has actively promoted this growth, aiming to establish Oklahoma as a "high-tech capital," a stance that local critics describe as ominous.
These large-scale data centers are projected to consume immense amounts of resources, with typical AI facilities using as much electricity as 100,000 homes and millions of gallons of water daily. This rapid construction, often facilitated by non-disclosure agreements between developers and city councils, has left many Oklahomans feeling excluded and powerless in decision-making processes. Four major hyperscale projects—Project Mustang, Project Atlas, Project Clydesdale, and Google's Project Spring—are either planned or under construction near Claremore, Coweta, Owasso, and Sand Springs, each slated for massive resource usage.
Specifically, Google's 827-acre Project Spring in Sand Springs faced overwhelming public opposition, yet the city council approved its rezoning in a 6-1 vote. In response, the grassroots organization Sand Springs Alliance filed a lawsuit, alleging violations of annexation policies. Residents voiced fears of doubled utility bills, which they felt were disregarded.
While the Oklahoma Legislature has passed some bills to mitigate the negative effects of this data center expansion, the article's author and many residents question the sustainability of this growth and whether the state's resources can support it without devastating consequences for the populace.