State Sen. Arthur Orr (R-Decatur) says Alabama needs new data centers, but is advocating for a measured approach as the debate over their construction continues across the state.
U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn), who is the Republican nominee for Alabama Governor, has been championing new data centers in recent weeks, while many cities across the state have put temporary moratoriums in place.
Orr discussed the issue Friday on WVNN’s “The Dale Jackson Show.”
“Well, let me say this: they wouldn’t try to push the argument if they hadn’t not pulled it and thought that this was a real winning issue for themselves,” Orr said.
“But I’ll tell you, there’s a lot of concern out there, and rightly so, about data centers that we don’t want them on every corner, and and we need to be methodical and and control the growth. We need them, and I think that’s not argued,” Orr continued. “But people don’t want to see the power rates going up because some billionaire wanted to plop a data center down nearby and mine for you know, and I’m conflating the two, but mine for cryptocurrencies and things like that. You know, a little different than data centers, same principle, but you know, so people don’t want to see that.”
Alabamians are primarily concerned about the effect any new center might have on their electricity bills, though several power companies across the country, including Southern Company, which owns Alabama Power, announced it is joining President Donald Trump’s Ratepayer Protection Pledge in an effort to calm fears about the power usage.
Orr said he’s also concerned about how it could get in the way of other types of economic development in the state.
“I don’t want to see the usage of power, by the high usage that they have, really hurt economic development projects that might come to the state,” he said. “But we look at that particular company that wants to come to Alabama and say, ‘Well, we don’t have the power to supply you. It’ll be three years. I’m sorry, but we went heavy on the data center run, and we don’t have the power to sell you. So, come back in three years.’ Well, that’s not going to happen.”
New data centers have faced opposition from Democrats, including U.S. Rep Terri Sewell who cosponsored a bill that will temporarily ban them nationwide.
“We need to be very thoughtful about it,” he said. “We need to have some kind of judge. You know, a way to evaluate what makes sense and what doesn’t. And some will, and that’s not bad. We have several in North Alabama, and we’re glad we do. There’ll be more to come, but we just need to be deliberate about it all.”
Yaffee is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts “The Yaffee Program” weekdays 9-11 a.m. on WVNN. You can follow him on X @Yaffee
