Longmont bans hyperscale data centers amid concerns about energy and water use
Longmont City Council has passed an ordinance capping hyperscale data center energy usage at either 5% of the region's grid capacity or 100 megawatts. This measure aims to protect the city's power grid and water supply and addresses community concerns about resource strain. The action follows similar limitations on data center development recently adopted in Denver and Jefferson County.
The Longmont City Council in Colorado has approved an ordinance that places significant restrictions on hyperscale data centers, capping their energy consumption at the lower of either 5% of the region's grid capacity or 100 megawatts. Passed in a 6-1 vote, the measure is intended to safeguard the city's power grid, water supply, and local neighborhoods from the impacts observed in other communities.
City Councilmember Matthew Popkin, who introduced the ordinance, emphasized the need for clear guidelines to determine suitable data center developments for Longmont, differentiating between smaller facilities vital for emergency services and critical infrastructure, and the larger hyperscale centers. Resident Diana Chavez voiced concerns about the extensive water usage and land consumption by large-scale facilities, highlighting the perceived lack of consideration for environmental consequences.
Councilmember Diane Crist cast the sole dissenting vote, advocating for more specific data on resource consumption before implementing the ordinance, which she described as "half-baked." Longmont's decision comes amidst a trend of Colorado municipalities imposing stricter controls on data center development; both Jefferson County and Denver City Council recently enacted moratoriums on new data center construction to assess environmental impacts and develop comprehensive regulations.