The Oakland City Council is expected to vote Tuesday on a 45-day moratorium on new data centers amid concerns about noise and impacts on the electrical grid and water systems.
A number of Oakland residents are concerned that new data centers could be too noisy and strain the city’s electrical grid and water systems, similar to concerns raised in other parts of the Bay Area and across the country.
Oakland is specifically concerned about plans for a 20,000-square-foot building downtown.
The project could provide computing power for artificial intelligence and robotics. The developer calls it an “innovation center.”
Some Oakland residents have expressed support for data centers because they could bring new jobs and revenue to the city.
Nearby Richmond and Gilroy recently approved their own 45-day moratoriums.
In San Francisco, a proposal to prohibit data centers for 45 days is also being considered.
Oakland’s City Council meeting is scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday.
