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Residents press developer on water sourcing and power demand; developer says details await engineering and Duke study
Summary
Residents questioned guarantees that Winston-Salem would supply water, how on-site storage and recycling would work, and whether the project’s power needs would raise rates; Montro said the power study and engineering reports will determine final commitments.
Multiple residents asked whether the data center would sink wells or draw on municipal supplies and whether Winston-Salem’s water would be prioritized over local wells. Michael Fes responded that the site has a 12-inch water main and that Montro had contacted the city; he said modern cooling systems recycle water and that on-site water tanks would provide emergency capacity. "We're storing enough water on site to double the capacity of our normal usage just in case something happens," he said.
On electricity, residents sought clarity about megawatt demand and potential rate impacts. Montro said the developer requested 400 megawatts in the application but emphasized that Duke Energy’s formal power study — expected to take months — will set what can be delivered and what infrastructure (and costs) are required. The presenter said that historically utilities have required developers to post deposits or pay for upgrades; final cost and rate effects remain unresolved until Duke completes its analysis.
