Data centers fact vs. fiction: Inside one of the controversial facilities
This video investigates common concerns about data centers, including their impact on electricity, water usage, and noise levels. An NBC10 investigative reporter visited a data center in Loudoun County, Virginia, to provide a factual look at these facilities. The report discusses how data centers, like one operated by NTT, consume significant power, utilize closed-loop water cooling systems, and generate noise comparable to everyday conversation.
NBC10 Investigator David Charns explored the "fact versus fiction" surrounding data centers, which have become a contentious issue in the Philadelphia region, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. To understand the facilities better, Charns visited "Data Center Alley" in Loudoun County, Virginia, home to over 200 data centers, including an NTT Global Data Centers campus in Ashburn.
The investigation focused on three primary concerns: electricity consumption, water usage, and noise pollution. Bruno Berti, overseeing operations at NTT, explained that a single data center building can use enough electricity to power over 10,000 homes, with an entire campus consuming as much power as a city the size of Allentown. Grid operator PJM anticipates that data centers will account for nearly all of the Mid-Atlantic region's electricity demand growth. While NTT states they cover the cost of infrastructure and power, Peco, a utility, warned that increased demand could impact the supply portion of electric bills, though data centers are expected to cover connection upgrade costs.
Regarding water, Berti clarified that data centers primarily use a closed-loop system for cooling, with some evaporation, meaning new water isn't constantly added or significantly lost. On noise, measurements outside a cooling system, running on a 90-degree day with multiple units, registered around 55dB, similar to a regular conversation. The report concludes by noting that while governors like Josh Shapiro and Mikie Sherrill advocate for greater transparency from developers, debates continue between developers and opponents on where these facilities should be built, highlighting the ongoing concerns about their environmental and community impacts.