The number of examples of data centers being a November election hot topic are continuing to pile up.
In South Dakota, the two nominees for a statewide Public Utilities Commission position have differing data center stances.
Democrat Frank Kloucek has pledged to battle them, and Republican Don Haggar wants a more measured approach.
The impact of data centers on utility prices, water usage, and lifestyle quality is on the minds of Siouxlanders in all three states. Candidates for county and legislative posts are being asked about the centers.
On Monday, President Trump lobbed the discussion of data centers even more prominently when posting to Truth Social: “The only reason that communities throughout the U.S.A. should not want Data Centers is if they want to end up being backwards and poor.”
Kloucek has advocated a year-long moratorium on data center development in the state.
Haggar said he believes the state does enough regulation on the matter, after the spring passage of ‘Data Center Citizens Bill of Rights.
"The idea being no passing data center project costs onto consumers or rate payers, mandatory annual water usage reporting, and local approval being involved before a data center can locate in a community,” he said.
The PUC has three office holders, who serve staggered 6 year terms. Gary Hanson is departing his position in a few months.
