Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC
Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC
Vast arrays of computer equipment require large amounts of electricity and water to keep them from overheating, which can put a strain on utility companies. Georgia Power, the state’s largest electric utility, has been denied approval by regulators for a slew of new, mostly fossil fuel-powered capacity, primarily because of the large number of energy-intensive projects in the state. That’s what I’m looking for.
Georgia Power executives said data centers are responsible for about 80% of the demand squeeze the company claims it is facing.
The latest project, called Rockdale Technology Park 1, will require on-site rezoning and is expected to be completed by 2028, DRI said. The application did not include the project’s expected construction value, the number of workers it would hire or the campus’ expected megawatt capacity. John Young, a principal at Strategic Real Estate Partners, declined to comment.
DRI is required for large projects that affect only the city or county in which the project is located. The application will be submitted to the Atlanta Regional Commission, which will review the application and analyze how local infrastructure would be affected.
Atlanta-based DC Blocks announced its first data center in Rockdale in December. The data center is a 750,000 square foot campus with a potential capacity of 216 megawatts. The project received local property tax incentives, but the county has not released an estimated price tag.
Kevin Hanna, president and CEO of the Conyers-Rockdale Economic Development Council, said he has not been approached by Strategic Real Estate Partners regarding local incentives. He said last month that as facilities cluster together, counties will be less willing to offer incentives.
“You start out aggressively, but as you gradually achieve more, your desire for more and more starts to fade, and so does your incentive,” he said.
Georgia lawmakers recently called for an end to statewide tax credits for equipment installed inside large data centers, often referred to as hyperscale facilities. Lawmakers questioned whether these projects, which strain local power grids, should be encouraged, especially when they employ only a few dozen people despite their enormous size.
