Congressman Stutzman Says Data Centers Should Pay Their Own Power Costs
Congressman Marlin Stutzman said data center companies should pay for the electricity and infrastructure their facilities require, rather than relying on existing grid investments and tax incentives. His comments came as Fort Wayne and New Haven consider Google’s planned data center and its potential effects on the power grid and nearby neighborhoods.
U.S. Rep. Marlin Stutzman said data center developers should pay upfront for the electricity generation and infrastructure needed to serve their facilities. He argued that large data centers can strain the power grid and should not receive substantial tax abatements while relying on existing infrastructure.
The comments came amid continued discussion of Google’s planned data center in New Haven, near Fort Wayne. Stutzman said the project and similar developments should be located in designated industrial areas rather than near residential neighborhoods, and suggested small modular nuclear reactors as a potential source of locally generated power for Indiana communities.