Residents and advocates line the sidewalk Tuesday outside Albany’s Department of Planning and Development. They cheer passing cars that honk in support of their cause: protesting proposals to build a data center in the city’s South End.
The planning board did not discuss the data center proposal this night, but opposition to the possibility has been steadily increasing, especially after the Times Union last month reported on the possibility of a data center coming to town.
Ian Cummins, an Albany resident, says he attended the protest because of the direct impact he believes the center would have on him and the city.
"The cost of utilities and natural resources are already skyrocketing," said Cummins. "With the utilization of a data center that does not directly support or benefit the local community, drive jobs, or any of this, it is is only drawing resources out of Albany without reinvigorating the community or providing any direct benefit."
Cummins’ concerns come as the owners of the Kenwood Convent site are applying to build a data center on a mixed-use campus. The plans and opposition are reminiscent of happenings around the country – including in the Hudson Valley, where residents have been protesting a proposal to expand capacity of an existing data center in the hamlet of Orangeburg.
The New York Independent System Operator, which manages the flow of electricity along the state’s grid, says there were 51 large data load project requests, as of last month, within the state in 2026. This is up from 6 requests in 2022. And that’s led to growing resistance.
In Albany, officials say they are looking to create guardrails for data center development.
These measures include reviewing the city’s zoning categories, protecting eligible zoned properties in the city, and implementing a moratorium on data center permits.
Members on the city’s Common Council say they are first looking to review how the city categorizes zoning. According to Councilmember Deborah Zamer, who chairs the Planning, Economic Development and Land Use Committee, there are currently no zoning categories for data centers.
“We have to be extremely careful and transparent about where these centers are located," said Zamer. "So I think what we're talking about is doing more of a comprehensive review surrounding what is lacking in our zoning code to protect our neighborhoods from industrial centers that they residents do not want close to their homes.”
Councilmembers have also suggested a resolution that would implement more guidelines and guardrails to protect other parts of the city. At a caucus meeting this month, Councilmember Meghan Keegan brought up putting in protections for non-residential areas, such as the Warehouse District.
Zamer says, as the council considers such measures, she is looking for more ways to bring in public input.
"We owe it to our residents to come up with responsible ways and locations for placing such industries." said Zamer.
Guild Ventures, the developers behind the proposal at Kenwood, did not respond to WAMC's request for comment.
Meanwhile, at the state level, Sen. Pat Fahy, who represents Albany, says she is looking to regulate how data centers are proposed and operated.
Fahy is a co-sponsor on a Senate bill that would put a one-year moratorium on data center permits for centers that use over 20 megawatts of energy. For reference, the Kenwood site is said to require 180 megawatts. The bill is set to come to a vote this week.
Fahy says she is pushing for the moratorium because of what she is seeing around the country.
"They take a lot of energy, a lot of electricity and power that often ends up on the ratepayers," said Fahy. "We have seen deals cut all over this country to bring data centers in, and it goes on the backs of ratepayers.”
Fahy says as more large data centers request to connect to the state’s power grid, it is important to keep the impacts on New Yorkers in mind.
“We just need to hit the brakes, and, and give this time to say we need a year to sort this out," said Fahy. "This is a very quickly evolving technology, and we've got to make sure we get it right, here in New York, because we are seeing some horrific abuses around the country.”
