Fast-tracked power plants fuel AI boom, with little public scrutiny
Across the United States, dozens of off-grid natural gas power plants are being fast-tracked for approval with little public scrutiny to meet the booming electricity demands of data centers. These plants, like the Apollo Generating Station in Ohio serving Meta's data center, often bypass typical permitting, environmental studies, and public hearings. Residents are concerned about the environmental impact and lack of transparency, while developers use exemptions and shell companies to expedite approvals.
Power plants are being rapidly approved and constructed across the United States to supply the tech industry's surging demand for data centers, often with minimal public scrutiny. Reuters' review of regulatory filings reveals dozens of large, off-grid power projects are moving forward in weeks or months, bypassing the extensive permitting, environmental studies, and public hearings typically required.
The Apollo Generating Station in Wood County, Ohio, serves as a prime example. Approved by the Ohio Power Siting Board in less than three months to power Meta's 800-acre Bowling Green data center, residents like Breanne Kidd express alarm over its proximity and the lack of prior notification regarding the natural gas plant's construction. Experts, such as Harvard University's Michael Cork, warn that the AI industry's reliance on off-the-grid natural gas generation presents significant under-examined air-quality risks.
Further contributing to the lack of transparency, some developers have utilized non-disclosure agreements with local governments or operated through shell companies, such as Liames LLC which was listed as the client for Meta's plant. Local officials have also redacted public documents or fast-tracked permitting processes, effectively circumventing public engagement. At least 57 such off-grid US power plants are proposed or under construction, with a combined capacity to power tens of millions of homes. Two are already operational: one for SpaceX's xAI facility outside Memphis and another in Ashburn, Virginia, serving Vantage Data Centers.