Charlestown votes yes on new data center after public hearing
The Charlestown Advisory Plan Commission approved a new 5-megawatt data center after a public hearing. The proposed facility, similar in size to a grocery store, will be built on Christiana Parkway in the Shadow Lake Business Park. Concerns were discussed regarding its electricity consumption, comparable to a large hospital, and water usage for its closed cooling system.
The Charlestown Advisory Plan Commission met to discuss a proposed new data center, ultimately voting to approve the project.
The proposed facility is a 5-megawatt data center, described as a small to mid-sized operation. It is planned for construction on Christiana Parkway within the Shadow Lake Business Park. The building will be a single-story, 55,000 square-foot structure.
Discussions at the public hearing highlighted the data center's resource demands. Its electricity consumption is expected to be comparable to that of a large hospital. The facility will also feature a closed cooling system, which, despite being a circulating system, will use water equivalent to three backyard pools for its cooling purposes.