Life inside 'Data Center Alley': What Utah can learn from Virginia
Residents in Virginia's "Data Center Alley" are experiencing significant noise pollution from nearby data centers, specifically citing a facility operated by Vantage powered by natural gas turbines. These residents are expressing strong dissatisfaction and are sharing their experiences to warn Utahns about potential similar impacts as data center development grows in their state.
KSL News Utah visited Virginia's "Data Center Alley," a region dense with nearly 750 data centers, to understand the living experience of residents near these facilities. The report aims to inform Utah, which is also experiencing a surge in data center construction, including the proposed Box Elder data center, about potential challenges.
Residents like Lindsay Shaw, Jessica Medeiros, and Craig Dobbs shared their experiences, primarily highlighting the persistent, high-pitched noise emanating from a nearby data center. Shaw described it as a "24/7 whistle" and a "huge blue monstrosity," while Medeiros noted it's audible inside her home, and Dobbs simply called it "loud." They identified the source of the noise as natural gas turbines that power the Vantage data center until it can connect to the electric grid, a situation different from most data centers in the area.
The affected residents expressed their strong disapproval of the constant noise and urged others to be aware of the associated risks before more data centers are built. They specifically offered advice for communities in Utah where new data center projects are being planned, hoping to prevent similar issues in other states.