State public Service Commissioner talks data center power usage

Mississippi Public Service Commissioner Wayne Carr addressed growing concerns about power and water consumption amidst a data center boom in the state, driven by multi-billion dollar investments from tech giants like xAI and Amazon. Carr highlighted that a single data center can consume power equivalent to 30,000-40,000 homes. He emphasized the importance of prudent oversight to manage costs related to transmission, substations, and new power plants, while assuring residents that data centers are paying their way, preventing citizens from footing the bill for infrastructure upgrades. Commissioner Carr also touched upon former President Trump's proposal for tech executives to generate their own energy, noting that xAI's Southaven facility is already operating "behind the meter." He explained that data centers use significant amounts of water, particularly for cooling systems, with one facility in the Jackson Madison area utilizing wastewater. Residents near xAI's data center in Southaven have also lodged complaints about noise from more than two dozen gas turbines, although the company has reportedly met all regulatory requirements.