Ten data center proposals are under consideration in the Massena area, with one project advancing through the planning process

Ten data center proposals are under consideration in the Massena area, with one project advancing through the planning process. A data center is a large facility with computers and servers to store and process data accessed on computers and smartphones. The furthest along in the planning process is a proposed three-structure data center totaling close to 1.5 million square feet. The facility would be built next to the former Alcoa East plant and would require about 635 megawatts to power. On its website, project developers say it is an expansion of their existing operations in Massena. The project would bring about 200 permanent jobs, and developers expect to become the largest taxpayers in the town. St. Lawrence County Industrial Development Agency CEO Patrick Kelly said it is potential or prospective activity and does not necessarily mean all these projects are going to go forward, or any of them are going to go forward for that matter. The project has received pushback from community members. Kelly said it is like any large-scale industrial project with questions about the environment, water impact, noise, appearance, and impact on surrounding communities, with the angle about this huge amount of power consumption. Kelly said the area's infrastructure and the ability to get cheap power are likely behind the interest in building data centers in Massena. He said the area had a lot of interest from crypto mining operations over the last 5, 6, 7 years, and this is sort of an evolution in some sense of that activity. Town Board Member Sam Carbone Jr. said responsible growth in Massena means protecting our neighborhoods, environment, and community while ensuring that new industry delivers lasting benefits, accountability, and opportunity for future generations. Kelly said it is too early to tell if the data center would drive up energy costs in the area. He said potential impacts of the project would need to be assessed.