SF’s Data Center Debate Heats Up As One Site Looms Large on the County Line
San Francisco is experiencing a heated debate over data center development, fueled by political figures like Supervisor Connie Chan who advocates for a moratorium on new AI data centers. A specific proposal by Global Stack for a facility at the Cow Palace is facing scrutiny and is currently under evaluation. The broader discussion involves environmental concerns, land use planning, and public opposition across the state.
Supervisor Connie Chan, a candidate for Nancy Pelosi's congressional seat, has launched a campaign ad criticizing San Francisco's AI boom, stating that AI data centers are increasing utility costs, displacing communities, and harming the environment. If elected, Chan supports a moratorium on new AI data centers, a measure introduced by Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY).
Conversely, state Senator Scott Wiener, Chan's opponent, advocates for environmental regulations on data centers, improved land use planning, and expanded unemployment benefits, but stops short of endorsing a ban. A recent Gallup poll indicates broad public opposition to new data centers, with over 70% of Americans surveyed opposing or strongly opposing them in their communities.
Amidst this debate, a proposal by Southern California developer Global Stack for a 10-megawatt "emergency response infrastructure" facility at the Cow Palace grounds, on San Francisco's southern border, is under scrutiny. The company, led by CEO Dan Kang, describes the project as essential for city resilience, offering communication and data support during outages. However, Global Stack's presentations to county officials have also mentioned "world-class AI capabilities," leading to conflicting interpretations regarding its alignment with the proposed 20-megawatt AI data center moratorium, which Chan's spokesperson Ian Krager argues should apply to any AI-related data centers regardless of size. Global Stack is also pursuing similar projects in other California fairgrounds, which have been rejected in Napa, Sonoma, and Solano.