What a planned Phoenix data center could mean for nearby neighborhoods

Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego says the city has spent years working to limit data centers’ effects on nearby neighborhoods, including requiring special permits to address health and safety concerns.

“Several years ago, so before data centers were in the news, we did a new program to require a special use permit for every data center,” Gallego told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Arizona’s Morning News on Thursday.

“That made sure that we could address the very significant health and safety issues around these data centers, that they go in the right place, that we have cybersecurity protections, fire, appropriate water supply and so much more,” she added.

One planned project in downtown Phoenix near Seventh Avenue and Grant Street predates those requirements, Gallego said. The site is next to an APS substation.

“This data center was in progress before we started that process years ago, but it it is notable in several ways,” Gallego said.

What locals should know about upcoming data center just south of Phoenix

She said the developer worked with neighbors to address traffic concerns and agreed to additional safety measures.

“It was the first data center in Phoenix to agree to significant health and safety protections, from … cybersecurity to addressing some of the more local fire challenges,” Gallego said.

Gallego also pointed to the project’s relatively small size and expected reliance on the existing power grid.

“This is a little guy. It’s about 24 megawatts, so dramatically smaller than the closest data center, but we do believe it will use APS [Arizona Public Service] power,” Gallego said. “In many ways that is good because we are seeing data centers like the one in the West Valley bring in their own power plant.”

Mayor says Phoenix data center won’t be a big energy consumer

She contrasted the Phoenix project with a West Valley data center seeking permission to use a cruise ship engine for power.

“I never thought, as mayor of Phoenix, that I would have to learn about cruise ship engines, but the one in the West Valley has applied for an air quality permit for a cruise ship engine that would power the data center,” Gallego said. “So, I think many people would rather see grid power than a cruise ship engine in their local neighborhood.”

Access to existing power infrastructure could also spare neighbors the disruption of new transmission lines, Gallego said, recalling a request from a local church related to a previous project.

“I had a church come to us and say, ‘Could you build us a new park because the transmission line took out part of our kids’ playground?'” Gallego recounted. “So, in some ways, there are real benefits for a smaller data station data center that does already have power and won’t have to disrupt a neighborhood.”

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