Data centers are booming. But there are big energy and environmental risks
Google recently courted the township of Franklin, Ind., so that it could construct a giant campus to house the computer hardware that powers its internet business. But the company needed to rezone more than 450 acres in the Indianapolis suburb, and residents weren’t having it. Many were concerned the facility would consume huge amounts of water and […]
Solar advocates warn EPA cuts to solar energy send Arizona backwards amid energy demands
With Arizona’s abundance of sunshine, advocates for solar energy are worried that the Environmental Protection Agency’s plan to cut the $7 billion Solar for All program is sending the state and country backwards, right when energy demands are as high as the summer temperatures. State Rep. Sarah Liguori, D-Phoenix, along with advocates for the solar […]
Arizona utility shutoff moratorium ends, leaving families scrambling
Arizona families who relied on summer utility shutoff protections are racing against time as the moratorium expires Wednesday, leaving many vulnerable to power disconnections amid mounting bills. The Arizona Corporation Commission banned most of the state’s power companies from disconnecting service during summer months, ensuring no one would be left without air conditioning during extreme […]
Data centers bringing excitement and concern to the Valley
Data centers are the backbone of everything from Google searches to movie streaming. Now, with artificial intelligence adoption accelerating, the demand for these massive facilities and the power they consume is growing rapidly across the Valley. More than 125 data centers already operate in Maricopa County, with many more seeking to establish operations in Arizona. The […]
A tribe in Arizona planned to connect 600 homes to electricity. Then the funding was cut
For as long as 55-year-old Hopi Chairman Tim Nuvangyaoma has been alive, high-voltage power lines have cut across Hopi lands in northeast Arizona, carrying vast amounts of power long distances throughout the Southwest. But residents of the Hopi Reservation have never been connected to that grid. Instead, tribal members have relied on a single power […]
Data centers to blame? We asked APS & SRP for ‘peak demand’ contributors.
It may be the most common metric that power companies use when making their case to raise rates: Peak demand. Utilities also use this crucial data to forecast future energy needs. But only one of Arizona’s three largest utilities provided to 12News data reflecting how each customer class contributes to peak demand records. Consumer advocates […]
