Boling residents meet Amazon leaders over massive data center project
Amazon is moving forward with a massive $10 billion data center project in Wharton County, Texas, spanning 3,000 acres. Boling residents met with Amazon leaders to raise concerns about construction, flooding, and water and electricity use. Amazon stated the facility will use a closed-loop air-cooled system and have minimal water use for domestic needs.
Amazon is proceeding with a substantial data center development in Wharton County, Texas, representing a $10 billion investment. The project, located off FM442 in Boling, encompasses a 3,000-acre site and will feature 13 buildings dedicated to supporting Amazon Web Services' cloud computing operations. Officials anticipate the creation of 300 full-time jobs, with half of these expected by the end of 2027.
During a community meeting, Boling residents voiced concerns regarding the project's impact, specifically addressing potential issues with construction, flooding, and water consumption. In response, Amazon representatives assured the community that the facility's servers would employ a closed-loop air-cooled system, eliminating the need for water in the cooling process. The company stated that daily water usage would be limited to approximately 16,000 gallons for domestic needs, comparable to the usage of 54 homes.
Electricity supply was another key topic raised by residents. Amazon confirmed that Centerpoint would serve as the power provider, and the data center would utilize its own power supply via ERCOT on the transmission side. The company emphasized that the project is not expected to affect customers' electricity use or costs. The development is planned to unfold in phases over several years.