South Fulton debates economic gains, environmental costs of new data centers

South Fulton weighs pros, cons of data centers

Data centers are popping up all over metro Atlanta. Tech giants are planning at least 20 new warehouses to store and manage massive amounts of digital information. City leaders in South Fulton met with residents to tell them about the pros and cons.

SOUTH FULTON, Ga. - As major tech companies plan a wave of new data centers across metro Atlanta, residents and leaders in South Fulton are debating the benefits and drawbacks of the rapid digital expansion.

What we know:

At least 20 new data centers — sprawling facilities that house computer servers to store and manage massive amounts of digital information — are planned across southern Fulton County. Six of those are slated specifically for the City of South Fulton.

Dozens of residents from South Fulton and neighboring cities packed a recent town hall meeting, where city officials outlined both the opportunities and the risks of the incoming projects.

The Atlanta metro area has seen a 211% spike in data center development, driven in part by major investments from tech giants. Microsoft has committed nearly $2 billion to three centers in the region, and Amazon recently purchased 118 acres in Douglas County for future development.

What they're saying:

Supporters say the projects promise economic benefits. "It’s a necessary function that is a part of our society," said South Fulton Councilmember Helen Willis. "The revenue potential that they bring," she added, "could generate millions of dollars in taxes for the city."

But the proposed developments have also sparked concern from residents who fear the environmental and energy costs could outweigh the financial gains.

"They’re a big drain on energy," said South Fulton resident Raymond Wilson. "I’m concerned about my electric bill."

Gloria Jenkins, who lives in East Point, said she’s open to having data centers in her community — if they’re built responsibly. "If constructed properly, I didn’t have a problem with it," she said, emphasizing that "constructed properly means including acoustic barriers," and staying away from schools and residential neighborhoods.

"We don’t know if there [are] going to be any environmental concerns," Willis said. "People are concerned about the amount of utilities they use."

Marty Puranik, CEO of cloud services firm Atlantic.Net, said the centers bring both short- and long-term economic impacts. "They create a lot of jobs during construction. Once they’re operational, they don’t create a lot of jobs on site," Puranik said, though he noted they can "create parallel industries that are nearby."

Still, he warned that the centers can place enormous strain on energy infrastructure. "They are going to draw a lot of power," Puranik said. "There are a lot of transmission lines that need to go in to sustain that power. There will be generators and fuel and fuel pumps and storage of the fuel."

What's next:

As plans advance, Willis said the city of South Fulton is working to implement regulations and safeguards to protect the community while preparing for the digital future.