State fines companies for ‘pop-up’ power plants for data center
VoltaGrid and Serverfarm were fined a combined $42,500 by Georgia environmental regulators for beginning construction of gas-powered generators in Covington without required permits. The companies can continue developing the power plant and nearby data center under stricter emissions limits.
Georgia’s Environmental Protection Division fined VoltaGrid $11,500 and Serverfarm $31,000 after finding that the companies had begun assembling dozens of gas-powered generators in Covington, in Newton County, without the required permits. The generators are intended to support a power plant and nearby data center roughly 40 miles east of Atlanta.
The agency issued a stop-work order and violation notice after inspecting the site, but the companies may continue construction subject to stricter emissions limits. The enforcement action followed reporting by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that the work had started before the necessary permits were obtained.