Wright County Establishes a Data Center Workgroup

Data center discussions continue across Iowa. The Wright County Supervisors approved establishing an Energy, Utility and Data Center Policy workgroup at their meeting Monday. Wright County Engineer Adam Clemons presented the idea after talking with others.

The workgroup will include Wright County supervisors, local development officials and others. In Woodbury County in northwest Iowa, MidAmerican Energy says it has identified Google as the prospective customer for a potential data center near Salix. Salix is a town of about 300 people and has annexed 900 acres of land for potential data center development. MidAmerican Energy spokesman Dan Winters says this gives the town a chance to discuss the issue.

MidAmerican Energy says a data center would not increase power rates and Google has brought billions of dollars in economic development to Iowa. Mary Herbst is with the Salix Guardian Alliance, a group of concerned residents, and says she still opposes the data center.

Herbst says the Salix Guardian Alliance doesn’t want the data center.

Herbst says she hopes people will attend the Salix City Council meeting on August 12th to voice their concerns. Supporters say the data center would provide a much-needed economic boost to the area.