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Washington's hydropower has created a data center boom. Some are concerned about its future.
In small town Washington — where hydropower is plentiful — data centers are creating jobs and funding amenities. But water and energy aren't unlimited — and some worry about long-term sustainability.
Fueled by hundreds of billions in capital expenditures and enthusiasm from the Trump administration, the data center bonanza offers a tempting promise: that small towns could find a new industrial anchor, bringing good jobs, tax revenue, and prosperity to swaths of the country that have been left behind by the digital revolution. Like in Washington, the local utility is considering building new gas plants to meet demand despite a state law requiring carbon-free power generation by 2045.In Georgia, the story of a couple whose taps ran dry when a Meta data center moved in next door went viral. Sharyl Smith, center, owner of Monkey N'Around Pizza, laughs with electricians Micki Bohman, left, and Mark Gruszkiewicz, right, during IBEW Brotherhood Night on Thursday, July 17, 2025, in Quincy, Washington.
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