San Jose's Data Center Boom: Balancing Tech and Green

San Jose is gearing up for a wave of new data centers to cash in on the AI boom, promising

big economic boosts like millions in taxes per site.

City leaders say these projects will face tougher views, public hearings, and environmental

checks, but residents are hitting the brakes hard over.

Fears of grit overload and eco-damage.

Earlier this year, the city teamed up with PG&E to power 12 big energy projects by 2030,

including grid upgrades and funding for six.

Spots to speed things along.

They're eyeing 2,000 megawatts of new capacity in the South Bay, especially since neighbors

Santa Clara's already maxed out with over 50.

Centers and turning folks away.

Locals feel caught off guard, with groups like dreaming collaborative rallying 800 signatures

on petitions and letter campaigns for more.

Transparency.

Leaders from spots like Alviso say the push feels top-down, ignoring community voices on

what all that power hunger means for daily life.

Community managers insist no fast tracks here.

Every proposal gets the full scrub, project by project.

Take the early stage prologist plan for over 1 million square feet on 159 acre wastewater

site, officials promise input sessions.

Once it advances, but skeptics worry it'll be too late to sway.

Council members like Peter Ortiz get the tension, weighing steady revenue to dodge service

cuts against real worries from the streets.

As these battles play out in meetings, San Jose's future hinges on balancing that

tech gold rush with keeping the grid and green spaces intact.

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