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Residents urge Sunnyvale to bar diesel and natural‑gas generators at AI data centers
Summary
Three public commenters — a long‑time resident and two student researchers — asked the commission to recommend that the City Council prohibit AI data centers from using diesel or natural‑gas generator power (including prolonged temporary 'queue' power) and to require renewable or utility‑provided electricity instead.
During oral communications before the consent calendar, three public commenters urged the commission to recommend that the City Council ban the use of diesel or natural‑gas generators to power AI data centers within Sunnyvale city limits and to require only non‑polluting, grid‑sourced or direct renewable electricity.
Richard Peronto, a 35‑year Sunnyvale resident, said the commission would likely see applications that rely on diesel or natural‑gas electric generation and asked the commission to recommend ordinances prohibiting on‑site polluting power and temporary full‑time fossil‑fuel backup power while facilities wait in queue for utility service. "I'm asking you to recommend to the City Council... that they enact city ordinances and laws that explicitly prohibit within the city limits of Sunnyvale these AI data center projects powered by natural gas or diesel generators," Peronto said.
Two remote student researchers echoed that call. Ahan Jen (who identified as a Lindbergh High School student and researcher at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health) cited a Harvard research estimate of $99,000,000 in annual health damages linked to data‑center emissions in one Virginia example and noted that data centers can consume roughly 300,000 to 5,000,000 gallons of water each. Kelly, introduced as a rising high‑school senior and cofounder of Conserv, emphasized public‑health risks and urged alternatives such as HVDC transmission or battery storage.
Vice Chair Davis asked staff whether Sunnyvale has any data‑center proposals in the pipeline; staff replied there is one data center application under review on Ross between Highways 237 and 101. The commenters asked the commission to forward the request to the City Council to consider ordinances that would prohibit fossil‑fuel generator reliance for data‑center projects and to require green power sourcing and compatibility with battery or HVDC solutions.
The comments were presented as requests for the council’s consideration; the commission did not take formal legislative action on the issue at this meeting.
