In Support of SB-00299 - AAC Data Centers
Letters & emails in support of this bill to require the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority to evaluate the impact of large data centers on grid reliability. Over 50 CCWEL Friends also submitted a form supplied by ct.gov in support of this Bill.
Dan Radin, from Facebook April 25, 2024
I wanted to share that I wrote to our legislators advocating for their vote in support of SB299, and that they ask for it to be raised within the current legislative session. Seven minutes after sending, Sen. Marx replied,
"Thank you Dan. Today I spoke with leadership, chair of the energy committee and the governor’s office, requesting SB 299 be raised. I am told by all that it will be. Every day I will make the same ask."
Here is my note, in case it's helpful for others who may want to contact our lawmakers.
Dear Lawmakers —
I am a constituent from Waterford, writing in support of your vote for SB299 (An Act Concerning Data Centers) and that you advocate for its vote within the current legislative session.
For context, I am pro-progress, pro-development, and a techno-optimist. I have served on, and been unanimously elected Chair of Waterford’s Economic Development Commission on these principles. I have also served on Waterford’s RTM, representing the district in which Millstone is located. Finally, I build and commercialize new software and connected hardware products for a living, and the services, tools, and applications my teams develop—which include various types of AI—run in the types of data centers contemplated in SB299.
Sufficient due diligence has been done neither by the Town of Waterford in the proposed hyperscale data centers at Millstone, nor by the General Assembly in passing the enabling legislation, HB6514, under questionable “emergency” auspices. Passing SB299 creates an opportunity to proceed through this one-way door with care, integrity, and humility.
Without seeking to understand the impact of hyperscale data centers on power system capacity and reliability, we risk even-more-expensive electric service for consumers as well as the increasing use of coal and fossil fuels to meet regional electricity demand.
Data centers are not high-upside stores of value; to the contrary, their value and utility declines over time unless they are continually upfitted with new servers. Connecticut lawmakers should be equally excited about providing tax breaks and subsidies on data centers as they are with installing sewers and power lines. Data centers are quite literally a bunch of computers in a warehouse.
Data centers do not have the capability to “transform Connecticut’s economy” or create a significant number of high-quality jobs. They do not have the capability to reposition Connecticut as “cutting edge”—or even business-friendly; the latter reputation has been earned through anti-development zoning regulations and the high cost of living and operating—and not the lack of in-state data centers. Data centers employ a small number of technicians to monitor and maintain operations. And those workers have higher rates of physical and mental health complications due to continuous, unrelenting noise and radiated emission exposure. That said, data centers are indeed valuable when viewed with a clear-eyed perspective: like any other infrastructure.
If we can summon the courage to pause, stop pretending we know what the hell we’re doing, and take the time and effort to build a genuine understanding of the benefits and drawbacks, we might find we like what we learn and are encouraged to proceed. Then again, we might discover we’ve let ourselves be blinded by the promise of annuity-like income from “tech,” and willfully buried our heads in the sand as environmental and quality-of-life risks have presented themselves.
Thank you for your time and attention to this important issue. I urge you to bring SB299 for a vote within the current legislative session, and that you vote in support of its passage.
Sincerely,
Dan Radin
Opinion: Don’t let a hyper-data center suck up CT’s electric power CT Mirror by Bryan Sayles April 19, 2024
Fred V. Carstensen’s March 22 “Opinion: CT SB299—afraid of the future, data centers and AI” ignores the legislative events and legitimate concerns that led to SB-299 being introduced in the first place.
Waterford, East Lyme residents frustrated by failure of data center study bill by Daniel Drainville, Day Staff Writer, March 9, 2024
Waterford ― Opponents of a proposed data center on the grounds of the Millstone Power Station, who had rallied in support of a bill to study the center’s impact on the electrical grid and their communities, were frustrated Thursday to learn the legislation didn’t go forward.
Legislative committee approves data center study bill
March 21, 2024 By Daniel Drainville
Day Staff Writer
A bill passed Thursday by the state legislature’s Energy and Technology Committee would require the potential impact of NE Edge’s proposed data center at Millstone Power Station to be studied by ISO New England, the grid manager for five states in New England.
The proposed legislation, introduced by Rep. Norm Needleman, D-Essex, would apply not only to NE Edge’s proposed data center in Waterford, but to any data center proposed in the state that would bypass the electrical grid.
Committee members voted 12-3 in favor of the bill, sending it to the Senate for further consideration.
If the bill were passed, any data center that would be placed “behind-the-meter,” meaning it would draw power directly from an energy-producing source such as a power plant, wind farm or solar park, would have to submit to an “impact study” from ISO New England and the local utility company where the data center would reside, Needleman said.
“If the backup is going to come from the grid, (we have) to make sure that we have adequate power to do that,” he said. “We want to make sure if we’re taking 300 megawatts, whatever wattage we’re taking off a power plant and then backing it up with the rest of the grid, it’s sort of like an additive amount of potential loss of electricity.”
A state law enacted in 2021 created incentives for data centers to be built in Connecticut, and enabled the state Department of Economic and Community Development to sign long-term tax incentive agreements with developers that pledge to invest millions of dollars in the state.
As a result, several towns in the state, including Waterford, began hosting discussions with data center developers. NE Edge last year signed a host fee agreement with the town in which it promised to pay a fee of $231 million over 30 years instead of property taxes.
Per the agreement, NE Edge would build two two-story data center buildings on the Millstone property, enabling it to buy power directly from Millstone owner Dominion Energy Nuclear Connecticut, reducing the cost of power consumed by the data centers.
The NE Edge project is in limbo after a January decision by the state Siting Council to deny Dominion a boundary change it would need to proceed with the project.
Needleman said at the time the incentive bill was proposed, legislators had not fully considered the impact of data centers.
Rep. Holly Cheeseman, R-East Lyme, who supported the 2021 law, now wants data centers’ potential impact on energy consumption to be studied. She voted with the majority Thursday.
“I have real concerns both about the current proposal in my neck of the woods,” she said, referring to NE Edge, “but also the unanticipated consequences of adding yet another huge source of demand in our grid.”
Rep. Paul Ackert, R-Coventry, said he will continue to vote against the bill, which he believes is contrary to the one that enticed data centers to build in the state.
“We look forward to looking to entice companies to come here and give them a nice little financial credit, then we’re like whoa, whoa, whoa, wait a minute. Timeout. Maybe don’t put those investment dollars here,” he said.
Dear Ms. Marx,
I am a concerned citizen seeking support for legislation that protects Waterford and state consumers from the development of a hyperscale data center on the site of a nuclear power plant. Presently HB 299 proponents are shedding light on the energy and environmental problems from this proposed development and we need Senator Marx to support it.
Thank you and please send me communication/news/activity about this topic.
Laurette Saller
Waterford
RESPONSE
From: "Horton, Breanna" <Breanna.Horton@cga.ct.gov>
Date: March 18, 2024 at 10:51:28 AM EDT
To: Laurette Saller
Subject: RE: HB 299
Good morning, Laurette,
I trust this email finds you well. Thank you so much for reaching out to Senator Martha Marx's office to be a strong voice in this process. As of right now, the Senator has been assured that it will be over a year before any decisions are made on the Data Center, so there is ample time for us to get informed and find out more in regard to this. Senator Marx has met with Dominion as well as Tom Quinn who is a Center Developer to be able to extract as much information as she can even though it is still slim. She will continue to ask questions as she's done to stay up to date and current with this proposal. As more information comes in, we will be sure to spread the knowledge. I hope this is beneficial and thank you again for contacting Senator Marx's office to raise your concerns. Do not hesitate to reach out in the future.
All the best,
Breanna Horton, MSW (She/They)
Legislative Aide - Senator Martha Marx
Legislative Office Building, Suite 2200
300 Capitol Ave, Hartford CT, 06106
McMahon, Dan
Mon, Mar 18
I am a resident of Niantic/East Lyme and I SUPPORT SB00299-ACC DATE CENTERS. This is a very large project that will have enormous consequences for the future of our energy grid and use of Millstone power plant. I believe that it is worth taking the time to do this study so we can all understand the facts. Opponents of the bill stress that a study it will cause a project delay - in a project with such a large scope, i do not think 3 months is a large delay. I urge you to vote in favor of this bill. Let's all have the facts.
Thank you for your time.