The water needed for a proposed data centre in west Saint John wouldn’t be a significant drain on the city’s Spruce Lake industrial supply, according to the registration document filed as part of the environmental impact assessment process.

But the centre, which would have a natural-gas power-generation plant for some of its needs, would require a significant amount of power at 390 megawatts.

it would also produce enough greenhouse gases to make it one of the top emitters in the province, according to the environmental impact assessment, or EIA, documents registered last week.

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[–] GirthBrooksPLO@lemmy.world 15 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Let me put this into perspective.

390 MW is enough power for roughly 390,000 homes.

[–] patatas@sh.itjust.works 13 points 1 day ago

Lol jfc did no one think to also ask about the water usage of the gas plants that power these things?

Gas power generation consumes more water than the data centres themselves, even if the DC is cooled with an evaporative system rather than a closed loop:

https://blundervalley.ca/blog/water-consumption/

[–] BinzyBoi@piefed.ca 10 points 2 days ago

I'm so proud of the Carney government for doing this. Why should I care about greenhouse gas emissions and reversing our progress on them when I now have limitless power at my fingertips in generating images of anybody I dislike getting run over by the Hummer Guy from Family Guy.

[–] Lemmyoutofhere@lemmy.ca 9 points 2 days ago (2 children)

So, they are going to cool it with hopes and dreams?

[–] SkyeLight@piefed.social 11 points 1 day ago

It's cute, how they're saying it won't be a strain on the city water system or the industrial supply. They're not denying that it'll strain the overall water supply, draining aquifers or lakes or whatever, just that it won't affect these specific water supplies.

[–] ikidd@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago

It's closed loop.

[–] TrojanRoomCoffeePot@lemmy.world 5 points 2 days ago

[–] HubertManne@piefed.social 3 points 1 day ago

oh. theres no sugar in pixie stix.