ThinkTennessee Issues Policy Recommendations for Data Center Management in Tennessee
ThinkTennessee issued a policy brief recommending four strategies for Tennessee to manage data center proliferation, including having data centers cover infrastructure costs, leveraging TVA grid capacity, investing in transmission, and enabling local zoning control. These recommendations aim to balance data center growth with community protection in the Tennessee Valley.
The nonpartisan think tank, ThinkTennessee, has released a policy brief titled "Powering the Boom, Part II: A Policy Roadmap for Managing Tennessee's Data Center Growth," outlining four key strategies for Tennessee decision-makers to address the increasing number of data centers in the state. The brief recommends treating large data centers as "grid partners" responsible for their infrastructure costs, urging the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) to better utilize idle grid capacity to reduce rates, and advocating for investments in long-term transmission infrastructure.
Additionally, ThinkTennessee suggests empowering local communities to establish their own zoning and permitting requirements for data center development. Erin Hafkenschiel, president of ThinkTennessee, emphasized the opportunity to learn from other regions facing similar pressures to manage data center growth while safeguarding local communities. The report notes over 1,300 data centers are currently planned across the TVA territory.