Infrastructure vs. Impact: Inside Alabama’s growing data center conversation

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - The conversations surrounding data centers is unfolding across Alabama as tech giants and infrastructure developers pour millions of dollars into new developing these facilities.

While developers look towards transformative economic investments and community benefits, local advocates are raising concerns about the strain on Alabama’s electrical grid and calling for a statewide halt on construction.

Two notable projects are: “Project Red Clay” in Lowndes County, spearheaded by powered-land development firm Cloverleaf Infrastructure, and Meta’s expanding facility in Montgomery.

Aaron Bilyeu, Cloverleaf’s Chief Development Officer, emphasizes that the development is designed to bring immediate, tangible upgrades to the community.

“When you bring a facility like this into the area, you need to strengthen the grid, you need water systems, you need connectivity,” Bilyeu said. “As you’re building up those base systems to support the overall data center, you end up increasing the size, velocity, and reliability of things like water mains. You build new roads; you build new infrastructure.”

According to Bilyeu, all infrastructure improvements are fully funded by the data center project at no cost to local taxpayers. To foster goodwill, Cloverleaf has committed an initial $10 million investment through the Central Alabama Community Foundation to fund emergency services, with $4 million slated for release upon Public Service Commission (PSC) approval and another $5 million when construction begins.

Cloverleaf also projects a massive $75 million contribution to the Lowndes County School System over the next 20 years, alongside road and bridge investments that will flow into the county’s general fund.

The project is expected to create 1,000 to 1,500 construction jobs over a three-year buildout, followed by over 200 permanent positions, including 50 high-paying technical roles that do not require a college degree.

Addressing local concerns, Bilyeu denied rumors surrounding the facility’s environmental footprint. He stated that claims of groundwater depletion, skyrocketing residential electricity bills, and noise pollution resembling jet engines are “simply untrue.”

In Montgomery, social media giant Meta is rapidly scaling its own major data center. The facilities house the critical digital infrastructure that powers global platforms like Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Ray-Ban Meta glasses.

Henry Thornton, Meta’s Community Engagement Manager, described Montgomery as “an incredible place” to build one of the larger facilities in Meta’s global fleet of 33 data centers.

The local buildout currently employs more than 1,000 construction workers and will eventually support over 100 high-paying technical jobs directly on campus.

Thornton addressed grid and environmental concerns by pointing to Meta’s sustainability and consumer protection commitments.

“We pay for all of the electricity that our facility needs, and all of the generation required. So, no one’s electricity bills are raised on behalf of our data centers,” Thornton said, noting that Meta is a proud signer of the Ratepayer Protection Pledge.

Additionally, Thornton stated that Meta restores a gallon of freshwater to local ecosystems for every gallon consumed by its cooling systems, asserting that the facility has “no adverse effects on the environment.”

Meta has also established local roots through sponsorships, supporting STEM education, donating to the Montgomery Public Schools robotics team, and sponsors for the Alabama Shakespeare Festival. This fall, enrollment will be open for a grant action program, allowing local non-profits and public educators to apply for funding that could bring public Wi-Fi or new hiking trails to local communities.

Servers at the Montgomery facility are expected to go live and begin handling digital traffic within the next six months.

Despite promises of economic windfalls and corporate philanthropy, some local advocates urge caution. Terri Michal, an advocate calling for a statewide moratorium on data center construction, believes Alabama is moving far too quickly without understanding the long-term consequences.

Michal fears the cumulative impact of multiple massive servers could overwhelm Alabama’s power grid and divert attention from urgent, pre-existing local issues, such as sewer issues.

“We are all connected, and for us to all of a sudden build all of these massive centers. I feel like our priorities are off, and no one knows yet what this is going to look like,” Michal said.

Michal argues that state leaders should halt all new approvals until comprehensive impact data is collected and analyzed, ensuring that Alabama’s resources are protected and local infrastructure priorities are met first.

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