City hears ECG briefing on data centers; council begins moratorium discussion to study impacts

East Point — A technical briefing from the Electric Cities of Georgia (ECG) prompted East Point councilmembers on Jan. 12 to open a policy work stream on data‑center development, including a draft six‑month moratorium to allow staff to study local capacity and zoning implications.

ECG presenter John Nguyen summarized data‑center types, infrastructure needs (power, cooling and fiber), and national trends. Nguyen noted the industry’s power demands — for example, a 1‑megawatt load represents roughly 7.8 million kWh per year, comparable to hundreds of homes — and explained the range of facility tiers and cooling approaches. He said municipal utilities that can supply reliable, low‑carbon power sometimes see significant sales margins from hosting larger power customers.

ECG also described East Point’s generation profile and excess capacity that had historically been sold on wholesale markets. Staff noted an electrical rate study projecting an upcoming utility fund deficit and suggested that larger customers could change the city’s revenue and infrastructure planning.

Council members ranged in reaction. Some emphasized potential fiscal benefits; others raised concerns about water and power reliability, neighborhood quality of life, and the long‑term land‑use consequences if huge facilities become obsolete. The city attorney advised that if council wants changes that affect where data centers are allowed, the appropriate vehicle is a zoning text amendment (staff‑initiated), which requires planning commission and council public hearings and advertised notice periods.

Council direction: Councilmembers asked staff to produce a ward‑by‑ward map of I‑1/I‑2 parcels and to research other Georgia municipalities’ approaches (including zoning text amendments and resolutions that limit development authority actions). A draft moratorium presented would pause approvals while staff compiles technical and legal analysis; the moratorium language includes a limit (six months or earlier if a text amendment is completed) and preserves exemptions for projects already in the pipeline.