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Data Center Impacts: Risks and Community Effects
The Hidden Water Cost of Data Centers
The article from University of Tulsa highlights how data centers can consume as much as 5 million gallons of drinking water per day — enough to supply thousands of households or farms. The University of Tulsa This massive water use tends to hit especially hard in water-stressed regions, where it competes with local needs for drinking water and agriculture.
$4B in Grid Costs Passed to Ratepayers
A new UCS study found that utilities in the PJM region shifted roughly $4 billion in data-center grid upgrade costs onto everyday consumers in 2024. Although more than 130 data-center-related transmission projects were approved, only about 5% of the costs were paid by the companies driving the demand. The rest were socialized across all ratepayers, effectively making households and small businesses subsidize infrastructure needed for large cloud and AI data centers.
Massive Data-Center Growth Accelerates Across North Carolina
The article highlights North Carolina’s rapid emergence as a major data-center hub, with multiple large-scale projects underway — including new campuses by AWS, Digital Realty, and other hyperscale developers. These facilities range into the hundreds of megawatts and signal accelerating cloud and AI infrastructure growth in the state.
Exposing The Dark Side of America's AI Data Center Explosion
This Business Insider investigation exposes how the rapid growth of AI and cloud computing has fueled a surge of massive data centers across the U.S. These facilities consume staggering amounts of water and electricity, disrupting communities, straining resources, and even forcing states to rethink climate goals. From Virginia’s “Data Center Alley” to drought-stricken Arizona, the film reveals the human and environmental toll of powering our digital lives.
Hidden Costs: How Data Centers Are Draining Local Fire Departments and Taxpayer Resources
This article exposes how massive data centers are overburdening local fire departments with frequent emergency calls. In one Ohio community, crews responded to dozens of incidents and million-dollar fires while waiting hours for access. Despite these strains, tech giants continue receiving major tax breaks, leaving residents to shoulder rising public safety costs.
Rising data center demand is driving record-high electricity prices across U.S. households.
Wholesale electricity prices near major data center hubs have spiked as much as 267% compared to five years ago. Growth in these facilities has already added $9.3 billion in costs to consumers on the PJM grid in just one year. By 2035, U.S. data centers could consume nearly 9% of all electricity, straining grid reliability and pushing household bills even higher.
Environmental Concerns - Consequences of High Power Demand
Effects on NC Residents
Duke Energy considers how to supply energy to residents in light of excessive power needs of data centers
Bloomberg Analysis
Bloomberg’s analysis revealed that areas close to data centers showed abnormal power measurements.
Data Center Power Could Cost Consumers Dearly
A new report shows that traditional rate-setting methods can't keep up with Big Tech's soaring electricity demand.
States re-examine data center growth
Power-hungry data centers prompt states to rethink their approach
Data Center Boom Puts Grid Reliability to the Test
The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) warns that the rapid expansion of data centers is creating new strains on the electric grid. With massive energy demands concentrated in certain regions, utilities face mounting challenges in maintaining reliability and meeting power needs. The report calls for better planning, coordination, and infrastructure investment to keep pace with this unprecedented growth.
Environmental Concerns - Noise Pollution
When data centers hum too loud, communities pay the price
Data centers generate constant noise from cooling systems, HVAC equipment, and backup generators, which can be disruptive to nearby communities. Prolonged exposure to this noise has been linked to stress, sleep problems, and other health concerns. The article highlights the need for better planning and sound mitigation to protect residents and maintain community well-being.