The real impact of data centers
The short version: FOX 9 gets a researcher on record about data centers' real water and power demands — the kind of plain-spoken framing local communities need before, not after, permits get signed.
Our Take
Credit to FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul for bringing in someone like NDSU's Bob Mayo to actually explain that not all data centers are created equal — a hyperscale AI training facility and a small colocation site draw wildly different amounts of power and water. That distinction gets flattened in most local coverage, and it matters because the answer to "how much will this cost us" depends entirely on which kind of building is going up down the road.
What still doesn't get asked enough on local news: who signed the interconnection agreement, what rate class the facility landed in, and whether ratepayers or taxpayers are backstopping the water and grid upgrades required to serve it. Research explainers are useful, but they're not a substitute for the permit files, utility filings, and county board minutes where the actual deal gets cut — usually before residents know a project is even coming.
If you're in Minnesota or anywhere else watching a facility get proposed nearby, don't wait for the ribbon-cutting to ask questions. Check our facility map to see what's already been approved near you, and use our take-action resources to find out where public comment periods and hearings still stand open.
This is GridWatch the USA’s original commentary. The video above is the work of FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul, published on YouTube — full credit to the creator.