Texas’ Fight Against 1 Million-Square-Foot Data Center Explained
Westlake officials have greenlit a sprawling data center. Residents of nearby Keller think they should be able to stop it.
A fierce battle is raging in Texas over a proposed 1.1-million-square-foot data center outside Dallas. The project, developed by Virginia-based PowerHouse, has sparked opposition from nearby residents in Westlake and Keller, who are concerned about the environmental impact, water usage, and potential health effects. City officials in Westlake have greenlit the project, claiming it will generate $5 million annually in revenue for the first decade and $7 million annually after that, while creating 75 jobs.
However, they acknowledge the facility will use 54 million gallons of water per year for cooling purposes, a fraction of the 110 million gallons estimated for a medium-sized data center. Concerns have been raised about the proximity of the data center to Ridgeview Elementary School and the potential effects on water and electricity supplies.
Despite a Tarrant County judge issuing a temporary restraining order against the project on August 12, citing potential harm to nearby residential properties, Westlake officials remain confident that the data center will bring economic benefits to the town and will not negatively impact residents' electricity bills or noise levels.
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