KAUKAUNA — Although no data center developer has currently approached the city about a project in Kaukauna, candidates for mayor in the spring election are speaking out.
The Kaukauna Common Council on Tuesday approved a proposed ordinance amendment that would require an extra layer of review if a data center should want to build in Kaukauna’s Industrial District.
Penterman says the type of data center and its impact to the community would determine if he were for or against it.
Challenger Daniel Schafer told Kaukauna Community News that he’s not sure that a data center would be a good fit for the community.
“I don’t feel the the infrastructure that we currently have would be suitable for the power that it is going to require to operate the facility, along with the water consumption that they use to keep the servers cool,” Schafer said.
Even though Schafer says it would create revenue for the city and new jobs as well, he says it’s his opinion that it wouldn’t work for Kaukauna.
Penterman also noted that data centers can bring significant tax revenue and infrastructure investment to a community, along with short-term construction jobs.
“At the same time, they can require large amounts of electricity (which Kaukauna Utilities cannot support at this time) and sometimes large amounts of water (which we need to protect for future generations as you can never replace fresh groundwater),” Penterman said.
Penterman said there will be a public hearing during the upcoming common council meeting regarding the proposed ordinance amendment.
The new ordinance includes additional restrictions including electric and water usage limits.
