U.S. Energy Secretary tours QTS data center, addresses utility, water concerns

U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright visited a QTS data center construction site in Southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa. During his tour, Secretary Wright, along with representatives from Alliant Energy, addressed public concerns that have been raised since the data center project was announced. One primary concern was whether the data center's energy demands would lead to increased utility rates for residents. Secretary Wright stated that while data centers have historically caused rate increases, he doesn't expect this to happen with the QTS facility. He suggested that large manufacturing and data center projects could lead to an end to rising electricity prices and a pathway to declining them. Another significant concern was the data center's water consumption. QTS is employing a closed-loop cooling system that recirculates water to minimize usage. The Secretary highlighted that the data center's water needs for cooling will be comparable to basic human use, such as washing hands or flushing toilets, making it not a "meaningful consumer of water." QTS also emphasized its commitment to the White House's 'Ratepayer Protection Pledge,' aiming to power its data centers with 100 percent renewable energy. Alliant Energy, while not building power plants specifically for this data center, acknowledged that increasing demand would necessitate infrastructure expansion, noting their plan for a new gas-fired power plant in Linn County, near the data center.