Claremore addresses community concerns over data center project

CLAREMORE, Okla. — Following 2 News coverage of the initial statement released by the City of Claremore on August 28, several viewers had questions regarding utilities and the project’s impact on the local economy.

2 News took those questions directly to John Feary, Claremore City Manager.

“So that was part of our development agreement, is that the developer is paying 100% for all needed upgrades in infrastructure, substations and transmission upgrades that will power their facility," Feary said. "Because the Grand River Dam Authority already has the energy in their portfolio, there’s no reason for them to go out and incur debt or spend money on generation equipment, so it will not affect electric bills.”

Feary says the data center will not be used for AI, but instead for cloud storage and streaming services.

He also says the project involves an American-owned, publicly traded company, and the end user will also be an American-owned, publicly traded company.

As for concerns about water usage...

“It’s also air-cooled, so we don’t have a water issue," Feary said. "The water it does use is nominal, and again, back to the electric infrastructure, the city is out no money whatsoever. It doesn’t affect our rates, and it doesn’t affect our customers’ rates. You just have to put the project together the right way, and that’s what the years of due diligence are for, to make sure you can do it.”

After 2 News spoke with the city, 2 News also learned more from some of the local agencies set to receive those PILOT payments.

Northeast Tech in Claremore is one of several organizations set to receive payments in lieu of property taxes, known as PILOT payments. Superintendent Derek Beller said this in a statement.

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Oologah-Talala Public Schools Superintendent Kendra Adkins shared this in a statement as well.

KJRH

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