tech
Data centers have a bigger NIMBY problem than nuclear reactors
More Americans would rather see a nuclear energy plant built in their neighborhood than a data center, new polling shows.
TL;DR
- 71% of Americans do not want a data center built where they live, higher than opposition to nuclear power plants (53%).
- 48% of those opposed to data centers are strongly opposed.
- Democrats show the highest rate of strong opposition (56%), followed by Independents (48%) and Republicans (39%).
- Primary concerns are environmental impact (46% worry a great deal), excessive water and energy use (18% of opponents), and impact on quality of life, including rising property values (nearly 25% of opponents).
- Increased costs, such as higher electricity bills, are a concern for 20% of opponents.
- Dislike or distrust of AI technology is a less significant factor, cited by only 10% and 4% of opponents respectively.