Home / Technology / Ocean Data Center Idea Stirs Eastport Opposition
Ocean Data Center Idea Stirs Eastport Opposition
13 Oct
Summary
- A developer proposed an underwater data center powered by tides.
- Eastport residents oppose the project, fearing environmental harm.
- Microsoft previously tested a successful underwater data center.
A proposal to construct an underwater data center off the coast of Eastport, Maine, powered by the region's powerful tides, has encountered substantial local opposition. Developer Louis Wolfson envisioned the facility as an eco-friendly alternative, using ocean currents for energy and cooling, thus avoiding fresh water consumption and heat release. However, residents, organizing as Eastport Residents for Healthy Oceans, and local authorities are concerned about potential damage to the marine environment.
Despite a successful three-month test of a similar underwater data center by Microsoft off California in 2015, followed by a longer deployment in Scotland, the Eastport community remains skeptical. Concerns include the intense tidal forces potentially damaging the structure and polluting the bay, as well as the impact of any generated heat on local species.
Local opposition has already led to a 180-day moratorium on data center development in Eastport. The project's developer has stated the current phase is for study and feasibility, not construction, aiming to assess environmental impacts over two years.
This situation echoes a past community mobilization against a liquefied natural gas facility proposal nearly twenty years ago. Indigenous tribes, including the Passamaquoddy, also voice strong objections, viewing the bay as integral to their heritage and traditional stewardship of nature.
