Blount County Officials Deny Plans for AI Data Centers Amid Public Concerns
Residents voiced concerns at a Blount County Planning Commission meeting regarding rumored AI data centers in Alcoa, citing potential environmental, noise, and utility cost impacts. However, Blount County and City of Alcoa officials, along with TVA, deny any formal plans or inquiries have been made, dismissing the rumors as online speculation.
Residents expressed significant concerns regarding rumored artificial intelligence data centers in Alcoa during a public comment session at the Blount County Planning Commission meeting in Maryville, Tennessee. Speakers highlighted potential negative impacts such as environmental degradation, water and light pollution, noise, and increased utility costs for homeowners.
Despite the public outcry, Blount County leaders, including Commissioner Nick Bright, and City of Alcoa officials vehemently denied any knowledge of formal plans for data centers in the area. They characterized the circulating rumors as online speculation that began weeks prior to the meeting. The City of Alcoa confirmed that no landowners or interested parties had approached them about using land for a data center.
Further corroborating the officials' statements, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) also confirmed that no preliminary power requests or inquiries into electric load capacity for data centers have been made in the region. Commissioner Bright emphasized that nothing substantial had been brought before the commissioners, reassuring the public that the rumors were unfounded at this time.