Natural Gas Data Centers Pose Deadly Risk to Ohio Communities

Data centers are massive energy consumers, using as much electricity as an entire city. However, a new trend in the industry could have deadly consequences for Ohio's communities: powering data centers with natural gas.

Companies like Meta have built massive data centers powered by dedicated natural gas turbines. For example, Meta's New Albany, Ohio facility uses 400MW of gas turbines - enough energy to power over 300,000 homes.

A study commissioned by the Piedmont Environmental Council found that a single data center in Loudoun County, Virginia could inflict $53 million to $99 million per year in health-related damages from increased deaths and hospitalizations.

The increased demand for natural gas from these behind-the-meter facilities will likely drive up prices for households nationwide. In contrast, China is planning to power its data centers with at least 80% clean energy by 2030, despite doubling their energy use.