Round Rock City Council Approves New Data Center Development Initiative

Round Rock Gears Up for New Data Center Development

Hey there, Round Rock! Exciting news is brewing in your city as a new industrial project is potentially on the horizon, and it may just include a data center. This recent development could help cement Round Rock’s status as a growing tech hub in the Austin area, joining the list of nearby cities like Georgetown, Hutto, and Pflugerville, which have also welcomed these high-tech facilities.

Unanimous Approval from City Council

On November 21, the Round Rock City Council unanimously approved plans to rezone a 57-acre tract of land for the new project. Located on the east side of Chisholm Trail Road, just south of Old Settlers Boulevard, the site is being eyed for not just a data center, but potentially an electric substation and some office or warehouse spaces too.

During the council meeting, Brad Dushkin, the city’s director of planning and development, addressed some community concerns regarding the environmental impacts of the project, especially the water and power usage that come with building a data center. While specific details about the project are still under wraps, Dushkin reassured residents that the new technology utilized in construction is significantly more water-efficient than older systems. “Most of the ones that are built nowadays have a closed-loop system for their cooling. They only need to fill up their cooling system once and can circulate that water effectively,” he explained.

The Power of Electricity

But wait, there’s more! The electricity situation is a different beast altogether. Dushkin mentioned that Oncor Electric Delivery Co. will decide whether they can supply the required power without draining resources from existing customers. “Oncor just straight up will not build a substation — they will not serve a data center — if they cannot reliably provide electricity,” he added.

An Emphasis on Water Technology

To address the community’s environmental concerns, Mayor Craig Morgan suggested amending the zoning proposal to incorporate the best water technology available. He wants to ensure that citizens can rest easy knowing that resources are being managed responsibly. “I think there’s a lot of misinformation out there about data centers. However, I do think we have to be stewards of the water,” he stated. It appears the city is on the same page as Amanda Swor, the representative from Drenner Group PC, who expressed eagerness to adopt the best technology available at the time.

Data Centers on the Rise

If this project goes through, it will add to a growing number of data centers in the Austin metropolitan area. While these facilities are essential for processing the cloud services that our daily lives depend on, they’ve also faced their fair share of criticism due to their high consumption of power and water.

In Round Rock, a community with a population of around 130,000 residents, developers are ramping up efforts in the tech field. Big names like Las Vegas-based Switch Inc. and Amazon.com Inc. are setting up shop in the area, while Seattle’s Sabey Data Centers has already launched its first facility there.

The Future of Round Rock

The potential data center may not create a ton of long-term jobs, but don’t discount the financial perks! These technology hubs often result in increased tax revenue for cities, thanks to the massive investments they demand.

As we keep an eye on this exciting development, one thing is for sure: Round Rock is positioning itself firmly on the digital map of Texas. With the tech growth showing no signs of slowing, we can expect to hear more buzz about high-tech projects popping up across the region.

So, what do you think, Round Rock? Are you ready to welcome this new data center? The future certainly looks bright for our tech landscape!