You may not have a hot date this weekend, but many will take solace knowing that data centers are in hot water.
Longmont City Council voted last night to ban hyperscale data centers. The vote was 6-1, with longtime holdout Councilmember Diane Crist being the only one in opposition.
The bill’s language defines a “hyperscale facility” as a data center that has a projected peak electrical demand of equal to or greater than 5% of Platte River Power Authority’s nameplate capacity, or 100 megawatts, whichever is lower, whether at initial operation or through expansion.
Put that in perspective…
Councilmember Matthew Popkin, who led the charge for the ordinance, gave an impassioned defense for the ban amid concerns from Councilmembers Crist and Crystal Prieto. According to Popkin…
The largest user of power in Longmont uses just 7 MW.
The largest data centers across the U.S. use anywhere from 350 - 750 MW.
Data centers in the works will require much more. One in Utah plans to consume 9700 MW
No guardrails currently exist to protect cities on the state or federal level — Colorado proposed two laws this year, but both failed.
The other side:
Crist remained robust in her opposition to the ordinance arguing that sufficient guardrails already exist. She also cited an email from the Longmont Economic Development Partnership that advocated for support of data centers. According to Crist, LEDP says major businesses across Longmont are vital suppliers to data centers.
Popkin rebuked that sentiment arguing business should not be treated as a monolith. Businesses, like citizens, need a reliable water and power supply.