City Successfully Prevents Construction of Large-Scale Data Center Due to Water and Energy Apprehensions
In a bid to expand its data center operations, tech giant Amazon had proposed Project Blue, a large-scale data center planned to be built on 290 acres in Pima County, Arizona. The project, however, faced opposition and was ultimately halted by the city council of an unspecified location.
Beale Infrastructure, the company behind the proposal, had claimed that Project Blue would generate $250 million in tax revenue and create 3,000 temporary construction jobs. Once operational, the data center was expected to provide 180 permanent positions with an average salary of $64,000 per year.
The data center, named Project Blue, was designed to consist of three large buildings. The county's board of supervisors had approved selling the land for the center, but the city of Tucson's approval was still required. However, concerns about utility usage and energy consumption led to opposition from dozens of people.
Councilmember Kevin Dahl raised water use and energy use as issues during a meeting, while Councilmember Nikki Lee expressed concerns about the project representing distrust in government, corporations, tech companies, technology, privacy, artificial intelligence, and the fast pace of technological change.
Despite the setback, Beale Infrastructure has expressed its disappointment and called the council vote a "missed opportunity for the City." The company partners with the world's leading technology companies to develop data centers and infrastructure that supports national economic growth.
Amazon Web Services (AWS), the client of Project Blue according to local reports, has not made any commitments or agreements for the development of the project. AWS has, however, stated that they will continue to evaluate potential regions to ensure the best product and value for their customers, while bringing positive benefits to the local communities where they operate.
Meanwhile, AWS has clarified that it looks forward to sharing its future plans and is assessing all potential geographic regions for data center developments. Beale Infrastructure has also stated that Project Blue is compatible with the city's climate goals and that they remain committed to their mission of supporting national economic growth.
In light of the council's decision, it remains to be seen whether Amazon will reconsider its plans for Project Blue or explore other locations for its data center expansion.
