On Friday, utility regulators in Minnesota stated that Amazon must demonstrate the necessity of having 250 backup diesel generators at its planned data center in Becker. The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) unanimously voted 4-0 to deny the tech giant’s request for an exemption from obtaining a “Certificate of Need.” This decision marks a pioneering test of how the state will oversee the surge of large-scale server farms.
The controversy has extended to the state Legislature, where Republicans have pushed forward a bill to exempt Amazon by altering state law. However, many members of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) party are against this proposal.
Under current Minnesota law, any power plant capable of generating 50 megawatts or more must prove that the infrastructure is essential and that there are no more cost-effective or environmentally friendly alternatives available. Amazon’s proposed diesel generators would have a total capacity of 600 megawatts, comparable to the output of Xcel Energy’s nuclear plant in Monticello.
Amazon contended that the law should not apply to its emergency generators, as they would solely power the data center and not the broader electrical grid. Meanwhile, officials in Becker reported that Amazon had halted site-preparation work prior to the ruling and informed the city that the permitting process could be affected.
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