LOUISVILLE, Ky (WDRB) — Work has been underway for months to clear a 150-acre site on Camp Ground Road, between Louisville's west and south ends, that is slated to become a major hyperscale data center. The project recently received its final approval, but opposition in the area continues to grow.
WDRB has reported extensively on the approval process for the development, as well as the concerns raised by nearby residents and community leaders who say the project threatens critical resources.
Reverend Jerome Sutton, a longtime west end pastor, said many people in the predominantly Black neighborhood feel the project is being forced on them.
“We don’t want it,” Sutton said. “You can keep it.”
For nearly a year, crews have been clearing the land in preparation for the massive facility near Louisville's Rubbertown industrial district, less than 1 mile from the Ohio River. Data centers like the one planned for the site require significant infrastructure — including large amounts of electricity and water — to power servers that support artificial intelligence and other advanced data processing.
The Camp Ground Road data center is expected to eventually use roughly 400 megawatts — enough to power about 400,000 homes per month.
An aerial view of the proposed data center complex on Camp Ground Road (courtesy Poe Companies)
Supporters said such developments can bring jobs and new tax revenue to local governments. But communities in nearby Meade and Oldham counties have already raised concerns about similar projects, arguing the potential costs and environmental risks outweigh the economic benefits.
Sutton said residents worry that essential resources like water and electricity could be strained by the facility.
“We want them to put up a bond to make sure we’re covered if something happens,” he said. “If the water is dirty or the electricity runs out, we want protection.”
In response to growing concerns, the Louisville Metro Council is working on a new ordinance aimed at creating safeguards for future data center developments.
“Government regulations tend to lag these sorts of developments,” said Markus Winkler in a previous interview with WDRB. “So I’m glad we’re still on the front edge of these things.”
One of the biggest concerns surrounding large data centers is their electricity demand.
LG&E has asked state regulators to approve an $11-per-month rate increase for customers, saying the additional revenue is needed to expand infrastructure to serve both new and existing users.
While the utility said the request is not tied specifically to data centers, the timing has raised questions among critics.
The planned facility’s location on Camp Ground Road was partly chosen because of its proximity to major power and water infrastructure, including nearby high-voltage transmission lines. The site is expected to support advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence systems.
Still, some residents said they plan to keep fighting the project.
“We’re going to do everything within our powers to prevent it,” Sutton said, calling for a grassroots protest effort.
The project was approved before the new data center zoning ordinance being developed by Metro Council is finalized.
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