Temple residents pack city council meeting to voice opinions on proposed data centers
The short version: Temple, Texas residents packed another council meeting to push back on proposed data centers, and GridWatch says that's exactly how it should work.
Our Take
Credit to KCEN News for keeping a camera in the room. A packed council chamber in Temple is the buildout working as intended — before the substations get sited and the water contracts get signed, not after. Too often these deals get inked quietly through economic development corporations or closed-door briefings, and residents only find out once the concrete's poured and the rate case hits their utility bill.
We don't know yet what Temple's proposed projects mean for local power capacity, water draw, or the tax abatements likely on the table — that's the stuff that needs to come out in these meetings, in writing, with numbers attached. "Jobs and investment" is not a substitute for a signed public accounting of megawatts, gallons per day, and who eats the cost if projections fall short.
If you're in Temple or anywhere else watching a data center proposal move through your council, check the map to see what's already been built or approved near you, and use our take-action guide to find out what questions to put to your council before the vote, not after.
This is GridWatch the USA’s original commentary. The video above is the work of KCENNews, published on YouTube — full credit to the creator.