Lawmakers press for tighter data‑center rules after WRA briefing; HB 93 microgrid amendment draws heated scrutiny
A Western Resource Advocates briefing on data‑center water, energy and grid impacts prompted questions from lawmakers about HB 93’s microgrid amendment and whether last‑minute floor changes enabled large fossil‑fueled projects such as 'Project Jupiter.' Legislators pressed for clearer reporting, contract safeguards and local protections.
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A policy analyst from Western Resource Advocates told the Science, Technology & Telecommunications Committee that modern data centers—especially hyperscalers—are increasingly large and resource‑intensive, noting that “data centers on average use 40% of their electricity for cooling.” The presentation outlined cooling technologies (refrigeration, evaporative, free and direct‑liquid cooling), described the water–energy tradeoffs and warned that some cooling methods are consumptive of scarce water supplies.
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