Data Center Hysteria

Today the nation is experiencing data center hysteria. Driven by the explosive demand for AI, the massive buildout of thousands of data centers has triggered a deep, bipartisan backlash across the nation.

Data Centers have been around for over 50 years. Much of the equipment in data centers was developed at Bell Labs Holmdel. Not all data centers are noisy and bad for the environment. Holmdel already has at least two data centers that have operated quietly and environmentally friendly for decades — the Verizon FIOS data center on Holmdel Road and the large satellite dish data center by Veteran's Park.

Holmdel residents should look beyond the hysteria and instead embrace the rare opportunity that is now in front of us.

The proposed Data Center at Bell Works is NOT a hyper-scale AI data center that will destroy Holmdel's bucolic way of life. It is a medium-sized, quiet, environmentally-friendly data center built on the footprint of the former Lucent Global Compliance Data Center, far from the iconic Bell Works building. It will use less than one-tenth the power needs of hyper-scale AI data centers and no water for cooling. The adjacent JCP&L Robert's Road Substation was build at 48 MW to power Bell Labs. Today, Bell Works consumes only 5 MW, leaving the existing substation with plenty of available power for the proposed data center.

Twelve years ago, Bell Works rose from the ashes of Bell Labs. Today it is the crown jewel of Holmdel. What is being proposed is a 2012 era medium-size 26 MW data center, NOT a 300 to 500 MW hyper-scale AI data center. This data center will lease space in a total of 1176 racks each with maximum power usage of 22 KW per rack. Companies like Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Apple, Meta, and Nvidia will lease rack space inside the data center as easily as offices and tables are leased at Bell Works and Bell Works Market. 26 MW will only be reached when the data center is fully leased and each rack uses maximum power. This data center will operate quietly and environmentally friendly on the Bell Works campus far in the back. Like most data centers, it will use batteries for power backup and natural gas generators to recharge the batteries if the power is down for many days.

All Holmdel should embrace this opportunity. The Data Center at Bell Works will solidify the financial footing of Bell Works, increase Holmdel property values, and increase substantially Bell Works PILOT revenues that will keep Holmdel municipal taxes flat for the next 20 years.

With the Bell Works redevelopment, Holmdel got a new library and a township meeting room inside Bell Works. With the Azura redeployment will come a new Holmdel Senior Center and five acres of land for a new Holmdel Fire/EMS building. For the Bell Works Data Center, I request that Holmdel Township be given free long-term leases for 2 racks inside the data center — one for Holmdel schools and one for Holmdel businesses. Think of all the educational, research, and new business opportunities access to these racks can give to Holmdel. I ask that all Holmdel residents ignores the data center hysteria and enhance Holmdel's legacy of technological innovation for our children and grandchildren.