Delaware’s legislature is considering multiple bills that would limit opportunities for data centers. Among the proposals are no tax credits for job creation; separate rates for facilities using higher amounts of energy; and not requiring the Delaware Electric Cooperative to provide monthly energy demands of more than 50 megawatts. Do you agree that these safeguards are appropriate? What prospects might the state miss if it limits or discourages data centers?
Hyperscale data centers should pay for all the costs they cause and not the public. They will greatly increase electricity rates for the public and should have higher rates to cover their costs, as they use twice as much electricity at one large data center as all other homes in Delaware. — Dale Swain
Why can’t we just update our own computers as the price is falling? Many computers now have new neural processing unit chips, and the artificial intelligence processing can be done directly on the computers. This could save consumers a lot of money, not to mention boost privacy, as your data stays local. — Jeannie Anderson
That would make it too easy to find out what info they are storing. Information stored at data centers is kept very secret. — Jeff Grzeszczak
How much electricity will they need? Could this be why I see so many solar fields popping up in Kent County? In Viola on Irish Hill Road, east of U.S. 13 and at Pearsons Corner. — Cindy Christiansen
They call them “data centers” because calling them “mass surveillance centers” would cause a national uprising. — Warren Avis
I’m 100% against. — Jennifer Carter
We have solar farms all over that are not benefiting the state of Delaware one bit. What makes you think we want data centers that are going to be doing the same thing, especially when they will be taking all the power created by these farms and more, which will make Delaware residents pay more in electricity prices just to have these centers here? — Kyle Hendrix
Data centers are serious threats to all who live and work in their vicinity. Any center needs to be required to produce the power necessary to function, using either gas or solar methods. The cost of energy for them should in no way be passed on to those in the community. The data centers also need to supply the water needed to cool them and be responsible for where and how they affect our health and our children’s health. Peace to all. — Chalky White
We are currently fighting against a data center that was quietly approved by Town Council and the Planning Board in Kenilworth, New Jersey. It took over a property that was formerly occupied by Merck and borders residential towns. Nobody knew or started asking questions until roads started being ripped up and the electric company installed massive, unsightly steel poles around the neighborhood. The communities are already considered overburdened regarding utilities and natural resources. These data centers use a lot of water and electricity, and will be discharging their wastewater into the same water supply as our drinking water. The noise is a loud, constant hum, 24/7. The health problems these data centers cause are real. Property values plummet. These billion-dollar corporations are also being given outrageous tax breaks, while the people in the communities are struggling to make ends meet. The problems of data centers far outweigh any tax benefit in the future. Once they are built, there’s no way to undo the damage they cause to people’s health, quality of life and the environment. Please do thorough research about the problems they are causing here and across the country. Also, please do the right thing and pass legislation that completely bans data centers from Delaware. Don’t let these corporations ruin and pollute such a beautiful state. Thank you! — CP
