Data Center Signal is tracking 48 clips about Digital Realty data center developments across 13 states, including VA, KS, NC, WA, TX.
De Soto city officials are currently reviewing a site plan application submitted by Digital Realty. This application is for a potential second data center campus within the city. The review process is ongoing, with no final decision made yet.
Digital Realty proposes a third data center in De Soto, Kansas, at the former Sunflower ammunition plant site. Residents express mixed reviews, with concerns about noise, electricity strain, and water usage, while the company provides assurances. The proposal is slated for presentation to the city's Planning Commission next month.
President Donald Trump announced an expanded voluntary pledge, joined by governors and electricity companies, to protect consumers from higher utility bills caused by data centers. The initiative seeks to address public concerns over increasing energy demands. Several states are enacting or considering legislation to mandate that data centers cover associated utility costs.
Digital Realty Trust has raised its full-year forecast for funds from operations, citing robust leasing momentum driven by cloud and AI customers. The company also announced plans to acquire a larger stake in three data centers in Northern Virginia from Blackstone for $3.5 billion, strengthening its presence in a key market.
Loudoun County is actively studying the implementation of a potential data center moratorium and new regulations concerning data center generators. However, county supervisors are currently questioning the legal feasibility of enacting such a moratorium.
Topeka City Council enacted a 12-month moratorium on data center development in response to local opposition. Residents and advocates are now pushing Shawnee County Commissioners for similar protections, citing concerns about environmental impacts and proximity to sensitive facilities. Developers like Beetle, Digital Realty, and Colossus are actively pursuing projects in the region, including in Spring Hill.
De Soto city officials are initiating a process to develop new noise regulations for data centers, following resident concerns about two major projects by Beale Infrastructure and Digital Realty. The city council has approved a request for an independent consultant to evaluate existing rules, though some council members are concerned about the proposed timeline. Residents are actively voicing concerns about the potential health impacts of constant low-frequency noise from data centers.
A historic building, the Court Arcade, in Uptown Charlotte faces demolition to make way for a 4-story data center project by Digital Realty. A group of architects is actively fighting to preserve the building, or at least its facade, citing its cultural significance. Digital Realty has submitted a demolition permit despite earlier commitments to preservation.
New York enacted a one-year moratorium on new hyperscale data centers due to concerns over their impact on electricity grids, water resources, and local communities. This statewide policy aims to reset the state's AI infrastructure approach, while other states and cities also grapple with similar challenges from data center development. The move follows growing public and political opposition across the US and globally.
The Seattle Land Use and Sustainability Committee held a public hearing on a data center moratorium and Council Bill 121215, which proposes to remove administrative appeals for legislative SEPA decisions. Public comment saw significant opposition to CB 121215, with citizens expressing concerns over losing the right to challenge environmental impacts, including those from data centers, and highlighting issues like increased heat islands, pollution, and electricity/water usage. Proponents argued the bill would streamline housing development without weakening environmental protections. The discussion included specific concerns about a Digital Realty data center and the broader implications for climate goals and environmental justice.
Digital Realty's $500 million data center proposal near Atlanta's West End MARTA station was tabled by the City Council's Zoning Committee. The project requires an exemption from Atlanta's ban on server farms near MARTA stations and the Beltline, sparking community division and resident pushback.
Beale Infrastructure's data center project in De Soto, Kansas, has nearly doubled in size from initial designs, prompting complaints from residents who feel it's a "breach of understanding." The De Soto Planning Commission approved the expanded scope for the $3 billion project, which will now span nearly 2.9 million square feet across four buildings. Meanwhile, another developer, Digital Realty, is proposing a 1,400-acre data center campus nearby, further fueling community concerns.
Northern Virginia, known as 'Data Center Alley,' faces shifting public opinion due to concerns about utility bills and environmental impact, threatening its status as the world's data center capital. Local opposition and legal challenges have halted major projects like Prince William County's 'Digital Gateway,' leading to developers abandoning plans and prompting state lawmakers to enact new regulations on the industry.
The video examines whether solar energy can adequately power Virginia's expanding data center industry, noting that even the East Coast's largest solar farm cannot meet the demands of a single major data center. This situation poses a challenge to state mandates requiring Virginia's largest utility companies to transition to green energy by 2045-2050.
Digital Realty has acquired a $3.5 billion equity stake from Blackstone-affiliated funds in three data centers in northern Virginia. The deal covers two facilities in Manassas and one in Sterling, with a total power draw of up to 96 megawatts. This transaction follows Digital Realty's recent acquisition of Alexandria-based Columbia Capital, an investment firm focused on data centers.
Beale Infrastructure's data center project in De Soto, Kansas, has doubled in size after approval from the Planning Commission, sparking significant resident opposition. The expansion affects a payment in lieu of taxes agreement and raises concerns about water and energy usage. Another developer, Digital Realty, is also eyeing the area, while other data center applications in the county have been withdrawn or denied, and moratoriums rejected.
During a severe heatwave, US Energy Secretary Chris Wright directed data centers and other large electricity customers in the mid-Atlantic, particularly those served by PJM, to utilize their backup power supplies. This directive aims to free up public grid electricity for residential air conditioning, as the region experiences high temperatures and increased energy demand. While intended to alleviate grid strain, the use of fossil-fuel-powered backup generators will increase local pollution.
Digital Realty announced it is acquiring a $3.5 billion stake in three data centers in Northern Virginia from asset manager Blackstone. This transaction, involving a mix of cash and shares, increases Digital Realty's ownership in key hyperscale assets. The move further expands the company's presence in Virginia, recognized as the world's largest data center market.
Digital Realty is proposing a new 1,400-acre data center campus in De Soto, Kansas, near a 300-acre facility by Beale Infrastructure that recently broke ground. This new proposal faces strong local opposition due to concerns about water usage, noise, pollution, and strain on the power grid. City councils in Gardner and Edgerton recently rejected proposed data center moratoriums.
Digital Realty is moving forward with an expansion of its data center in uptown Charlotte, which now includes the complete demolition of a century-old historic facade, despite earlier intentions to preserve it and disappointment from the Historic Landmarks Commission. The project, which involves demolishing the building and constructing a new 12-megawatt data center, is exempt from Charlotte's recently enacted 150-day data center moratorium because it began before the ban's effective date. Residents have expressed opposition to data centers in the region due to concerns about noise, water usage, and power needs.