What the US Movement Against Data Centers Can Learn From Abroad
The article examines how communities outside the US have resisted data centre expansion and what their experiences might teach US campaigners. Author Paris Marx says earlier disputes over electricity, water and local accountability foreshadow the rapid growth of opposition in the US, where data centres have become a political issue.
Ireland is a key example: Dublin’s grid operator called for a moratorium in 2021 because the grid lacked capacity, after which companies explored other regions and gas power. Some operators also sought private electricity cables, raising questions about fairness and climate targets. In The Dalles, Oregon, Google used 29 per cent of the community’s water, according to figures residents obtained after a year-long effort to uncover them.
In short
- Overseas disputes offered early warnings about data centre impacts.
- Ireland’s grid limits pushed operators towards gas power.
- Google used 29 per cent of The Dalles’ water.
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The case for
Communities have good reason to seek limits or stronger oversight when data centres put pressure on electricity and water supplies, especially if residents cannot readily obtain information about local resource use. Ireland’s grid concerns and the reported water use in The Dalles support calls for transparent planning that weighs local needs, fairness and climate commitments.
The case against
Data centres also support digital services and economic activity, and restricting them may shift projects elsewhere without reducing overall demand. A moratorium or tighter local limits could deter investment or push operators towards private power arrangements; advocates of expansion may therefore favour building grid and water capacity while requiring clear standards and accountability.
Explained simply
Data centres are large facilities that store and process information for services such as online search, video and artificial intelligence. They need reliable electricity and cooling, often using water, and their growth can affect local resources and infrastructure.
Residents, campaigners, energy providers and technology companies can disagree over how quickly these facilities should be built and who should bear the costs. In Ireland, concerns about electricity supply led the grid operator to call for a pause on new data centres in 2021; in The Dalles, Oregon, residents sought information about Google’s water use.
These disputes raise questions about who gets a say in local decisions, how power and water are allocated, and whether expansion fits climate goals. Experiences in other countries and communities can help explain the issues facing US campaigners.