Jacinto City residents not sold on proposed data center

Jacinto City, Texas, residents voiced strong opposition to a proposed 50-megawatt data center by Raeden at a recent town hall meeting. The project, which would be the town's first data center, plans to convert an abandoned bottle manufacturing plant on Fidelity Street. Residents, including Wayne Randle, expressed concerns, stating, "We don't want you here," and citing general negative perceptions about data centers.

Despite the strong local sentiment and a non-binding resolution passed by Jacinto City in July opposing data center construction, City Manager Lon Squyres acknowledged the need for data centers but questioned their proximity to residential neighborhoods. Raeden President Jason Green addressed concerns, assuring residents the company would be a good neighbor, using noise-dampening materials to operate quieter than the current ambient sound and employing a closed-loop system to recycle 200,000 gallons of water for cooling, minimizing water usage.

While city leaders believe they cannot legally block the project, they intend to implement significant operational restrictions through a special use permit. These restrictions, according to Squyres, will cover noise levels, emissions monitoring, and require a bond instead of relying solely on fines. Green, however, views these not as restrictions but as accountability measures for practices Raeden already plans to uphold. The company aims to commence construction in October, with the data center operational by March.