Heat adds to strains on areas with AI data centres

Eileen Castle’s swimming pool, once a refuge for neighborhood children, faces disruption due to a data centre behind her house which uses industrial air conditioners and backup diesel generators impacting the air quality and water.
Heat waves exacerbate electricity demand, which increases the strain on power grids, affecting surrounding communities.
Data centres require more resources to manage heat, often relying on energy-intensive refrigeration or water-intensive evaporative cooling, while backup diesel generators add to local air quality issues.
Lowell’s Sacred Heart neighborhood, historically marginalized and now facing higher environmental and health risks, is directly impacted by the nearby data centre’s operations.
The data centre in Lowell, operated by the Markley Group, uses large quantities of water and has resorted to turning on diesel generators only rarely, citing emergencies and brief weekly tests.
The Lowell City Council enacted a moratorium against further data centre expansions due to local opposition and concerns over environmental, economic, and community impacts.
Tensions between data centre opponents and supporters, including tech industry backers, highlight the broader challenges of AI data centres in local communities.
The North American Electric Reliability Corporation has issued guidelines to address the risks posed by data centres, signaling heightened awareness of their environmental impact.

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