Washington's next data center boom comes with real tradeoffs | The Newsfeed

News Clip4:10Cascade PBS·Quincy, Chelan County, WA·8/21/2026

Microsoft is planning its first data center campus in Chelan County, Washington, near Quincy, which will draw up to 288 megawatts. This development is expected to bring tax revenue and jobs but also raises concerns about increased strain on the electrical grid and water systems, with some residents opposing new transmission lines.

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Microsoft
Gov: Chelan County PUD
Bigger data centers are coming to Washington — and they're bringing real tradeoffs. More strain on the electrical grid. More pressure on water systems already stretched by drought. But also badly needed tax revenue and jobs. We headed to Central Washington, where Chelan County PUD is gearing up for the county's first data center — a Microsoft campus near the Columbia River that could eventually draw up to 288 megawatts at full operation. We heard from a local union councilmember who sees data centers as an economic bright spot, and from a couple 10 miles south of Quincy fighting to keep a new 230-kilowatt transmission line off their front lawn. ** Watch more episodes of The Newsfeed: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL18y1vgsGPLamDJ0Gd3O8Vy63-TDbLZHR ** Donate to Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/176149/donate/1 ** Subscribe to our weekly news roundup: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133765/subscribe/1/ ** Watch more from Cascade PBS: https://www.cascadepbs.org/ ** Follow Cascade PBS online: https://www.facebook.com/cascadepbs/ https://www.instagram.com/cascadepbs/ https://www.tiktok.com/@cascade_pbs https://www.threads.net/@cascadepbs #localnews #seattle #datacenter