Big Take When a Small Town Gets a Big Data Center
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Feb 27, 2025 Josh Saul, a Bloomberg reporter specializing in energy, dives into the pressing issue of a data center's impact on Fayetteville, Georgia. He discusses the surprising local enthusiasm for the project, quickly overshadowed by concerns over power infrastructure and environmental implications. The pastor of a historic church shares community responses, highlighting struggles against eminent domain and the tension with utility companies. Saul examines how the AI boom fuels demand for such centers, affecting small towns and their residents.
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Church Impact
- The Hopeful Primitive Baptist Church, a 200-year-old landmark in Fayetteville, Georgia, faces a new challenge.
- A large data center will be built nearby, requiring towering power lines that will impact the church and surrounding properties.
Data Center Location
- Data centers are strategically located near reliable and affordable power sources, like Georgia Power in Fayetteville.
- They also require ample open land, which Fayetteville offers.
Power Consumption
- A single data center in Georgia will consume over a gigawatt of power, comparable to a nuclear power plant.
- This marks a significant increase in power demand, unlike the previously flat growth.