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Henrico County, Virginia, is home to 37 data centers, with 17 more on the way. Right now, it’s being burned to a crisp amid a brutal heatwave, as is the rest of the east coast.
Thank heavens for air conditioning, right? Maybe not if you’re one of penny-pinching county’s schools: days before this heatwave descended upon the area, the Henrico public schools were asked to dial back their electricity usage, 404 Media reports.
“Beginning July 1st, the rate we pay for electricity used in all Henrico County government and school facilities will increase dramatically — by 25 percent, increasing costs by an estimated $5 million next fiscal year,” John Vithoulkas, the county manager, wrote in an email sent to thousands of county employees that was obtained by 404. “We anticipate more rate increases for electricity in the years ahead.”
Vithoulkas didn’t suggest dialing back the AC, but he may as well have. We’re firmly in heat wave season now, and it’s usually the consequent spike in demand for indoor cooling that ends up putting the most strain on the power grid. (Beyond the existing strain placed, in this case, by huge data centers.)
“To mitigate the impact of higher electric costs, I am asking that we, collectively, make slight adjustments to conserve electricity across our individual workspaces,” Vithoulkas wrote in the email.
“Turn off your lights when leaving your workspace, including when you leave for the day,” he continued. “Turn off your computers/laptops at the end of each workday. If your workspace has windows, adjust the blinds to manage heat from sunlight.”
Vithoulkas also suggested not using space heaters, claiming that a single space heater costs the county up to $300 per year. That may be true, but that’s months away from being relevant advice.
The eyebrow-raising demand sums up why data centers continue to be so controversial with locals, as communities across the country fiercely protest against existing data centers and the construction of new ones. These sprawling facilities devour an enormous amount of power, require heaps of water to keep cool, and generate tons of noise, on top of being an eyesore that requires hundreds of acres of land be flattened. Studies have shown that the electricity bills of ordinary people who live near data centers are soaring, and 404 noted the plight of one woman who used solar panels and a heat pump to keep her energy costs down and still saw her electricity bill double.
More on data centers: Massive Data Center Cooks Nearby Residents Alive Amidst Deadly Heatwave