Kingston GA Data Center: Thor Equities Faces Neighbors
Thor Equities is proposing a 150-megawatt data center on roughly 561 acres near Kingston, Georgia, with an estimated $1 billion cost and construction targeted for 2030. A crowded town hall highlighted residents' concerns about water use, groundwater, noise, environmental impacts and the rural landscape, while the project still requires government approvals and faces conflicting zoning recommendations.
Thor Equities presented plans for a 150-megawatt data center about two miles east of Kingston on State Route 293. The proposed facility could cost approximately $1 billion, create about 50 jobs and generate an estimated $2 million in annual local tax revenue. The company says it would use a closed-loop cooling system, bring county water from about three miles away and fund a sewer line for nearby residents and businesses.
The project drew a large crowd, with supporters citing potential tax and infrastructure benefits and opponents raising concerns about water supplies, wells, groundwater, forests, farmland, noise, diesel generators, property values and transparency in the zoning process. Thor executive vice president Raj Vohra and other company representatives defended the potential economic benefits and water-management plans, while resident Paul Muir warned about impacts to natural resources and his farm.
The approval process remains unresolved. Reports differ over whether the Kingston Unified Zoning Board recommended approval of a special-use permit or denial of annexation, and the Kingston City Council must still consider the project. No client has signed to occupy the facility, and construction would not begin until required government reviews are completed.