Interview: Data center project in Alabama, N.Y.

WIVBTV interviewed Sheen Morocco, Chief Development Officer, and Bradley Wells, Senior Project Development Manager, from Stream Data Centers, regarding their planned multi-billion dollar, over 2-million-square-foot data center in Alabama, Genesee County, New York. The project is encountering significant community opposition and questions. Morocco emphasized data centers as modern infrastructure critical for the economy, akin to roads and bridges. Wells detailed Stream Data Centers' commitment to "economic opportunity" and "environmental stewardship," projecting over $285 million in revenue over the PILOT period for Genesee County, a 7% increase for the school district, and covering the town's annual budget. Addressing environmental concerns, Wells stated the facility would be one of the quietest, operating at 45 dB at night, and uses no consumptive water in its cooling process, primarily for toilets. He also noted its compact footprint to avoid impacts on wetlands. Morocco added that the noise levels at the property boundary are equivalent to a quiet dishwasher, differentiating their project from "poor developments" that have caused complaints. Regarding concerns about New York's high utility bills and strain on the aging grid, Morocco referenced a Line Spread 2 Labs study indicating that low growth leads to higher energy rate increases. He asserted that Stream Data Centers' development has completed system impact studies, is funding all its infrastructure development, and pays a minimum rate to avoid cost pass-through to residents. They argue that such large projects are necessary to spread the cost of aging infrastructure. The project is expected to create 125 direct jobs and 30-40 vendor-related positions, plus 1,100-1,200 construction jobs.