The officials of Weld County, Colorado, have sparked a fierce backlash online after approving the construction of a building that reportedly “could become the largest data center in the state.” The overwhelming rejection of the project by Colorado residents was the main reason behind the criticism, which seems to have remained after the debate.
According to CPR, the Weld County commissioners unanimously approved Global AI’s zoning permit to build a 41-acre data center near Windsor, which could be the largest one in the state. The project is initially expected to have a 27.5 MW capacity, but it can expand to 1 GW over time, using as much electricity as 800,000 homes.
Despite approval, locals widely rejected the project, reportedly concerned about noise, electricity prices, and water use. What commissioners did end up negotiating before the approval was that the site would use a closed-loop cooling system, keep noise at established levels, and present a decommissioning plan and financial bond.
Criticism After Weld County Officials Approve Data Center
The reaction to the approval was very negative on r/Colorado, as many users were in disbelief at seeing yet another data center approved in the state. One of them said: “Roughly 90% of the people who spoke were against it, but they approved it anyway. That’s Weld County for you. They’d put fracking pads right next to schools if they could.”
Others had harsh words for the members of the local council: “Hey Weld County, take a page from Missouri’s(?) book and vote to recall the council members. They are not acting in your best interest.”
Some folks even suggested, albeit without proof, that there were unknown reasons for accepting the data center project: “Upsides are minimal, downsides are everywhere. I got my bribe, so approved.” Others agreed, asking: “Who is paying off and/or coercing these local officials? I know Weld is right-leaning, but I don’t think anyone wants these data centers, left or right.”
Not everyone seemed so concerned, however: “I find it wild that Weld County is worried about data centers sucking up their power and polluting their water. There have been, at a minimum, twenty thousand wells fracked in that county. All that profit goes to like 2 billionaires who own the two prominent ranches that sold out to oil and gas.”
The local population has yet to feel the effects of the proposed data center. Still, the community saw this as a major defeat amid growing opposition to data centers in the United States.
