The Nye County Water District Governing Board has taken a bold step, unanimously approving an emergency order to request a moratorium on data centers in the Pahrump Valley. This move is a response to the growing concerns over the strain that large-scale data centers can place on local resources, particularly water. The board emphasizes that they do not have the authority to approve or deny data centers, but they are making a strong recommendation to the Nye County Commission to impose a moratorium. This recommendation is based on the potential environmental impact and the need to protect the critically over-appropriated aquifer, Nevada Hydrographic Basin 162.
The decision comes at a time when other Nevada cities, like Reno and Boulder City, have also faced challenges with data center proposals. The Nye water board officials argue that a moratorium will allow them to assess the impact of data centers on utilities and city resources. Board member Micheal Lach highlights the lack of knowledge about data center water usage, especially the high consumption of evaporative cooling, which consumed over 352 million gallons of water in Southern Nevada last year. Lach questions the wisdom of allowing data centers in an area with water problems, suggesting that Basin 162 is not an ideal location for such facilities.
The county has managed to avoid the influx of data center proposals seen in northern Nevada, but recent developments have raised concerns. For instance, the approval of a preliminary development plan for an 800-acre solar facility by TeslaSolar, LLC, which would power a data center, has sparked local debates. Valley Electric Association, which serves Pahrump, has also received applications from data center developers, and regulated energy companies are legally obligated to provide power to any customer. The water board's chairman, Ed Goedhart, acknowledges the pressure from locals and emphasizes the need to consider existing water law, which would require legislative action and the governor's signature to change.
Goedhart also suggests exploring the possibility of limiting or prohibiting evaporative cooling for data centers, a move already implemented in Clark County. This proposal comes at a time when Nevada's data center market is growing rapidly, with projections indicating a 50% increase in energy demand compared to just two years ago, and a potential doubling by 2030. The state's lawmakers are considering statewide legislative action to address the excessive water and energy needs of data centers.
Board member Helene Williams encourages residents to take action by contacting the Valley Electric Association and requesting a moratorium on data center contracts. She believes that collective effort is necessary to stop the expansion of data centers in the county. This situation raises important questions about the balance between economic development and environmental sustainability, and it remains to be seen how the county and state will navigate this complex issue.
