Florida Town Weighs Hyperscale Data Center Proposals on Former Farmland

Indiantown, Florida, a community of 6,800 residents between Lake Okeechobee and Palm Beach, is evaluating proposals to build hyperscale data centers on former agricultural land. Florida Power & Light is considering one such facility on the 5,700-acre Tesoro Groves property, which currently contains solar panels, a transmission line, sugarcane fields, and wetlands.

Another project, Silver Fox, which would have included 2.2 million square feet of building space and multiple dedicated transmission feeds, was withdrawn from consideration.

McAllister, 87, lives near the Tesoro Groves site and described the land as the location of her childhood home. She said her father cleared portions of the property by hand and raised watermelons, cantaloupes, strawberries, peas, beans, and oranges there.

Village Council Member Vernestine Williams-Palmer, who represents the nearby Booker Park neighborhood, asked how residents would be compensated if the facilities caused negative effects. She said information about the proposals has been limited outside council meetings.

Eric Miller, 61, a retired technology entrepreneur, stated he spends about ten hours a day reviewing documents related to the projects. He said the facilities do not provide ongoing economic returns to the community.

Hyperscale data centers can require as much electricity as 500,000 homes and up to five million gallons of water per day for cooling. The facilities operate continuously and include backup generators. Jacquelyn Rawls, 19, a nursing student at Indian River State College, said she supports data centers if they create local jobs and potentially support a future hospital in Indiantown.

The nearest hospital is currently 25 miles away. An environmental assessment for the Silver Fox site identified a bald eagle nest and evidence of gopher tortoises. The Tesoro Groves site is adjacent to wetlands inhabited by alligators, which are listed as threatened under federal rules.