New data center plans to move quickly in Fairfield. Residents have questions
Patmos Hosting plans to convert a former Walmart in Fairfield, Alabama, into a 20-megawatt AI data center, with construction potentially beginning in September. A community town hall saw residents raise numerous concerns about jobs, electricity, water usage, noise, and environmental impacts, particularly from the planned diesel generators. Despite the developer's reassurances and Mayor Herman Carnes' support, many residents remain unconvinced.
Patmos Hosting, a Missouri technology company, plans to transform a vacant Walmart building in Fairfield, Alabama, into a 20-megawatt artificial intelligence data center. The company, which expects to submit permit applications by the end of August and hopes for September approval, aims for an initial phase completion by February, with eventual expansion to 45 megawatts.
A recent town hall, attended by a packed room of residents, allowed Patmos Vice President of Strategic Growth Monica Brisimitzakis and founder and CEO John Johnson to address community questions. While Patmos stated the property is already properly zoned, residents voiced significant concerns regarding the project's impact on local jobs, electricity grid strain, water use, noise pollution, and environmental effects, especially from the planned 10 diesel backup generators. Environmental groups like the Greater-Birmingham Alliance to Stop Pollution (G.A.S.P.) expressed continued skepticism, citing Fairfield's history of industrial pollution.
Patmos officials outlined plans for at least six permanent infrastructure jobs in the initial phase, with up to 50 permanent jobs expected once the campus is fully developed as a broader technology hub. They also detailed efforts to mitigate noise and minimize water use, estimating 10,000 gallons per day for the initial phase. Alabama Power representatives assured residents the utility evaluates projects to avoid impacting existing customers. Fairfield Mayor Herman Carnes publicly backed the project, praising Patmos's transparency and community engagement, despite the ongoing concerns from residents who remained unconvinced.