Staff outlines data-center basics and local impacts amid community concern

City staff presented an educational overview of data centers to the City of Orange council on July 28, explaining what the facilities are, why they cluster in Texas, and what local officials should consider if a proposal arises. The presenter said the talk was preparatory and stressed, "we have not been approached…to put in a data center in Orange," framing the session as information for future decision-making.

The presentation covered site criteria (flat topography, outside flood plains, proximity to electric grid and fiber, and sufficient water), typical construction and operating costs, employment patterns and wages, and regulatory incentives. The presenter gave examples of scale: a $300,000,000 data center vs. residential development and cited typical power and water draws—"closed loop" cooling on a 100-acre campus could average 300,000–1,000,000 gallons monthly, while some evaporative systems would use more; the city’s average monthly water production, he said, is about 3,000,000 gallons with capacity up to 6,000,000.

Staff also addressed neighborhood concerns, including noise from generators and HVAC systems and emissions from monthly generator testing. On community impacts, the presenter said data centers can produce large property-tax rolls but may generate less daily traffic than residential development; he noted state incentives such as sales-tax exemptions and described recent state-level work on interconnection standards for large electricity customers. Councilors thanked staff for the briefing and staff committed to reviewing local zoning and return to council with any recommended adjustments.