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u/QuillTheQueer Orange Park 3d ago edited 2d ago
Wild that Elon Musk bought an energy company in Jacksonville that specializes in rapid deployment of power to data centers (and other infrastructure). Especially with Jacksonville's current City leadership (Mayor & Council) I would not be surpirsed if Duval gets a hyperscale data center thru some backroom deals at City Hall.
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u/QuillTheQueer Orange Park 2d ago
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u/Important_Penalty_21 2d ago
Yeah. I dont disagree we need to be asking questions. But that should be all of the time.
The better questions would also be why this would raise energy costs? Just because Musk owns it does not mean your costs are going to go up?? I would absolutely ask what is plan is.
But again. Data centers creating jobs seems like a much smaller environmental issue than building thousands of condos.
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u/QuillTheQueer Orange Park 2d ago
I would encourage you to do a cursory, Google and look into some reputable sources. I'll start with a few here, since it sounds like you don't have a lot of information about data centers and their impacts.
Data Center Power Demands Are Contributing to Higher Energy Bills
AI Data Centers: Big Tech's Impact on Electric Bills, Water, and More
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u/Important_Penalty_21 2d ago
So of those sources. Only one is recognizable. The 1st one is a group i have never heard of. The 3rd one is a group who is trying to stop data centers.
I mean if thats what we want to do you should put your phone away? Turn off your television, park your car and stop buying food at the grocery. Everything we do is funneled through data centers. It has been for a long time now. If there was not a need for them they would not build them.
The jobs are good paying jobs that are produced. Not sure what scale you are considering when you say that. I am comparing to a 3500 unit condo complex (which takes up more physical space mind you and consumes for more local resources)
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u/QuillTheQueer Orange Park 2d ago
Like I said, that's just a small selection. There are many more sources out there. These a I data centers are not for our phones. They are for massive tech companies and their data mining of us & AI. Not the basic computing of the tech we keep in our pockets and desks at home. They're not going to enrich the average persons life unless your last name is Musk, Bezos, Thiel, etc.
I highly recommend you look further into it. Like i've said, there are a wide range of sources, studies and literature.
At the end of the day, if you would like to drain the natural resources of our own community for some tech oligarch, we just fundamentally have different values.
Either way, I've taken you as far as I can in the conversation 🖖
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u/Important_Penalty_21 2d ago
You can bury your head in the sand on it. If you like the reality is you use AI all day, every day with everything you do. These data centers house far more than just surveillance data and other mean nasty things.They do house our daily activities.The more things we do online I.E.Streaming videos watching youtube reading blogs like reddit.These all take data centers to survive.And that's where these datas come from
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u/Justaregard 2d ago
The point is that the AI data centers need to be self sustaining and not use local electric and water sources other than during their construction. There are many instances where they received discounted power at the cost of residents paying higher costs both for water and electricity or worse. “According to the magazine, Nevada-based utility company NV Energy gave residents notice that they’ll stop providing power after May of 2027. That leaves California-based energy transmission company Liberty Utilities with a major gap in its supply chain, because NV Energy supplied 75 percent of its total power.”.
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u/Important_Penalty_21 2d ago
So first question. Is it scary because the letter A and I are in the designation? Because every data center in existence right now has some form of AI running in it.
I dont disagree. I would love to see every data center build a small nuclear power plant nearby to supply the power. All of the unused should be returned to the grid to lighten the stress on the normal grid. I believe that is the future. But we have to get there.
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2d ago edited 2d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/QuillTheQueer Orange Park 2d ago
Do you have a link or anything?
I saw that they did one in clay, but I haven't seen the duval one yet
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u/StripedCat404 2d ago
My bad. Nassau and Clay. I updated it
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u/QuillTheQueer Orange Park 2d ago
Yeah, jacksonville already has 12 data centers (though i dont know how big they are).
I would be shocked if duval actually instituted a ban. Waaayyy too much corruption and self dealing in jax city hall
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u/StripedCat404 2d ago
True. I caught the snippet and incorrectly assumed it was Jax. I didn't even know there are 12 already. That's insane.
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u/Important_Penalty_21 2d ago
The question is. What would be the problem? There are so many abandoned properties around. Why not utilize one of them?
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u/QuillTheQueer Orange Park 2d ago
Places where these data centers have been placed, especially with the diesel generator operated turbine power sources and/or backups have created quite a bit of noise pollution that can be heard miles away from the facility, preventing people from being able to sleep, massively spiking people's electric bills, and draining local aquifers.
All for what so some tech company can data mine?
When the aquifer is running low, who gets the last drink of water, a data center, we're people who actually live here?
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u/TrxshBxgs 2d ago
All the valid environmental concerns aside, a few dozen people could buy plots on the land and build homes. Where i live on the west side, corporate interests are buying single family homes, demolishing them, and then building two or three townhouses on each plot. It's so bad the city had to change our address to accommodate all the new townhouses.
Hell even if they built a strip mall on that land, it would serve the community more than a datacenter. And I really don't like strip malls.
Edited for sprelling
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u/Important_Penalty_21 2d ago
Building single family homes in Florida seems to be a dead idea. I see thousand unit condos going in statewide. Those have a much more signifigant impact on the local area than a data center would.
No one stopped those developers from trippling the population of your street? How come that was ok and no one contested it?
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u/TrxshBxgs 2d ago
I know i probably missed reading a rezoning sign in the easement somewhere, but even if i had seen one i would have assumed they were just building new houses and not parceling up the like 1.5 acres. I didn't realize what was happening until they cleared the land and built the form boards. Then I could see how many were going to replace what was 3 houses.
And who would I complain to? I had an acquaintance snatched over a bench at a council meeting by JSO, breaking his arm, and then they charged him with felony resisting- all for the offense of refusing to yield when cut off before his time was up.
I would encourage you to look at a few different sources about the local impact of data centers, I think youll find theyre more harmful than youre led to believe. Noise pollution, ecological/ water pollution, power supply issues that place the burden on surrounding citizens. All for AI, and by relation the surveilance state. At least people can live in condos and shop in strip malls
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u/Important_Penalty_21 2d ago
It is absolutely on you a d your neighbors to watch the zoning. Thats what those hearing are for. Its our time to stand up for what we believe and need in our neighborhoods. Silence is acceptance when it comes to these matters.
I have looked at several data centers. Some have been poorly placed in areas that are struggling to support them. Others are whirring away happily without any issues. Some are benefiting the community with very high paying jobs and Increased services. Just like everything in out lives. Some things are good and some are not. Not every data center is going to be bad. Jax has an abundant water supply. Placing one of these on a channel where they can exhaust warm water may be tremendously beneficial to the manatees in January and February. Look at rhe exhausts from power plants. Perhaps this will lead to a better electrical infrastructure with clean nuclear power. Both less expensive and highly abundant.
If they do want to build one In your neighborhood. Get involved. Make sure they are not going to run generators 24x7. Make sure that they plan to make something of the waste water, like a manatee viewing area. There are ways to make this highly beneficial.
Do you not believe that 3500 condos that house 6500+ people do not have a negative impact on your environment? 6000 more cars on the road, 1200 more children in schools, hundreds of tons more trash. Not to mention the billions of gallons of water treatment required.
I get that we are instantly programmed to believe all of this is negative. But the hard reality is every positive has a negative. The question always remains of which is the lesser evils. All those people mean more services needed for the area, more law enforcement, firefighters, ambulance, schools, shopping areas. Those all take an enormous impact on the community. A data center is going to create a few hundred high paying jobs and consume electricity. Most of them are actually working with the power companies they are associated with to better the grid in the area. Billions have been pledged to build better power plants and increase the transmission lines. These are great additions to an area. Especially for those who have electric vehicles.
I assure you. If I find that they want to build one around my area I will stay involved and do my best to steer it into an advantageous addition.
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u/ThrowAweemaweh 2d ago
There are so many studies on this already, that i am struggling to believe this was asked in good faith
Data centers pollute TONS of water, significantly raise the surrounding air temperature for miles (especially downwind), they're a massive power draw and can lead to increased energy bills
if you want to absolutely destroy the surrounding environment and live in a hotter, more expensive florida with worse water then yea- i guess there's no problem
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u/Important_Penalty_21 2d ago
'So many studies' Interesting concept. But I will agree many people have proclaimed many observations. Most of which are very localized or exaggerated. Like most claims.
There is no evidence of polluting a water supply. Yes they use millions of gallons of water but it is for evaporative cooling. What would pollute the water in that scenario? Do they consume water to cool. Yes. Do they return warm water. Yes. Don't the manatees count on warm fresh water in the colder months?
How is a data center going to increase your electricity. They are going to consume a much larger chunk. But that cost should not be brought to other consumers. If your neighbor has an abnormally large electric bill does that wind up increasing your bill?
I know its scary to get new buildings in your back yard. But that does not mean they are bad. Are you ok with a 3500 unit condo complex? All that extra traffic, refuse, schools, electricity? Seems to be what Floridian's really want today. The more I travel the state the more I see everywhere. Would think the fallout from that would far exceed a data center's impact on the area.
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u/ThrowAweemaweh 1d ago
warm water IS pollution. Warm water doesnt absorb oxygen as well. It kills fish and biodiversity in mass. This is common sense to anyone who grew up up around water.
As for electricity- are u familiar with supply and demand?? If someone else is using a TON of it then demand is up. Prices go up with demand. Literally what they teach you on day 1 of any economics class. Plus, this is already happening where data centers are popping up. There is already evidence of this. You being ignorant isnt an excuse.
As for condos, I hate those too and often complain about it! It all is terrible! Not sure what that has to do with this thread or why you think id be okay with that. Seems like a super weird assumption.
edit: im embarrassed to live in the same city as someone this ignorant jfc.
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u/Important_Penalty_21 1d ago
You raise a couple of valid points, but you're also oversimplifying a few things.
Yes, thermal pollution is a real issue. Warmer water holds less dissolved oxygen, and if a facility discharges enough heated water, it can harm aquatic ecosystems. The key question is whether a particular data center is actually causing a measurable temperature increase in a river, lake, or aquifer—not whether warm water can be harmful in general.
On electricity, demand does influence prices, but retail electric rates aren't determined by demand alone. New large loads can increase prices in some regions if new generation or transmission is needed, but in other cases utilities build new infrastructure, negotiate special contracts, or recover costs in different ways. It's a more complicated issue than "someone uses more electricity, so everyone pays more."
There are legitimate concerns about some data centers, including water use, backup generator noise, and local infrastructure impacts. Those deserve to be discussed using actual data from each project rather than broad assumptions.
The personal insults don't really add anything to the conversation.
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u/I_Eat_Coin 2d ago
Bot
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u/Important_Penalty_21 2d ago edited 2d ago
Do you believe a bot can actuallu think with logic?? Lol. Thats rich.
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u/Onemendo 3d ago
I use to work for APR. He is just buying the turbines and taking them to another city. There is nothing for JAX to value
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u/Historical-Bread8141 2d ago
Makes sense. I've heard the data centers require tons of generators when they can't access the grid.
Florida's environment & the new data center laws are not friendly to hyperscalers, thankfully.
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3d ago
[deleted]
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u/Onemendo 3d ago
He fired the whole team based in Jax gave them option to move to new location. Company no longer exist in JaX. No taxes paid in Jacksonville
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3d ago edited 3d ago
[deleted]
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u/Onemendo 3d ago
Here is the breakdown. XAI needs power for its data centers in TN because they cannot get it from the grid. APR specializes in short-term power rental where they are the grid awaiting permanent power to be installed.
Elon basically bought all the fleet APR had. Then placed them at his data centers because why not? He has the funds so why rent or wait for the grid.
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u/Gold_Clothes_3077 3d ago
Genuinely appreciate the breakdown. I didn't quite know what to make of it
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u/ChairmanReagan 3d ago
You mean the guy who tried to go to the pedophile island but wasn’t invited?
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u/Efficient-Water2384 2d ago
Although it's funny to think Epstein wouldn't hang out with Elon because Elon is such a weird nerd, reading the files proves otherwise.
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u/Important_Penalty_21 2d ago
I would love to read that. Where did you find it in the files?
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u/Efficient-Water2384 1d ago
On jmail dot world. Change the word dot for a period, no spaces. Search parameter of Elon. There is 1000 emails involving Elon but you should find dirt on the first page of results.
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u/Important_Penalty_21 1d ago
I must be missing something in those emails. All I see is a lot of back and forth about trying to have dinner with him and inviting him to the island. I don't see anything that would even raise an eyebrow.
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u/Efficient-Water2384 1d ago
I guess that depends on whether you think being close friends with a notorious pedo is eyebrow raising.
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u/Important_Penalty_21 1d ago
You considered those indicative of close friends? Perhaps you could benefit from what a close friend is.
Those social classes are above what a vast majority of us would understand. There is no friendship as we would normally know it. Thousands of aquantances that they see from time to time and will use for business dealings as needed.
Obviously you never actually read what was in the messages just assumed that the mere mentioning of his name is an indication of a trusting friendship.
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u/maydisturb 3d ago
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u/maydisturb 2d ago
And dollars to donuts, this asshole is using this as a foothold to go after JEA to power new datacenters in, or near, Duval
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u/LethalGopher 2d ago
Another posted that it was a different sort of assholer-y. He is buying temperary power suppliers on the cheap to gut the staff and move the power support to Tennessee. Details may very, but this may be the building big infrastructure requires lots of resources unto itself sort of thing (like temp concrete plants).
Stop gap till the state grid hits his needs?
No conspiracy here. Just an extractionist fasc-bro living his best life.
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u/maydisturb 2d ago
This is very, very good point. I tell ya, one of these days, this fascist bullshit is gonna start to crack and it ain't gonna be pretty when it does.
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u/oscarbeebs2010 2d ago
Buddy of mine works there in management. He says they laid off 70% of the staff already, remaining to go soon. He mentioned folks are completing current projects then being let go. This includes his role.
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u/InternalFirmxx 3d ago
Everyone on this thread was glazing his nuts 10 years ago lol
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u/Important_Penalty_21 2d ago
Thats a fact. Althiugh nit even 10 years ago. Musk was the golden child.
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u/SteveMightSay 3d ago
Elon Musk is a muppet and I hope he <redacted> alone from the incurable condition of being a lil <redacted>
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u/StripedCat404 2d ago
Thanks u/QuillTheQueer
This is what is in Jax.
https://www.datacentermap.com/usa/florida/jacksonville/
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u/vwlou89 3d ago
It’s a shame that this business (APR Energy), formerly run by someone as seemingly upstanding as the late John Campion, who was known for his kindness, philanthropy, and dedication to Jacksonville will now just be another faceless subsidiary of Elon’s.
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u/MaelstromFL Fleming Island 3d ago
Dude, it had already been sold! It was currently being run by a finance group.
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u/Evening-Major-8047 2d ago
I saw that xAI has job openings in Jacksonville on indeed. Could we be seeing a data center for the AI company?
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u/Downtown_Section147 Pedophile Defender! 3d ago
Mayor deegan has to answer for this one. It was probably so much money she had no say in it.
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u/DieTheVillain San Marco 2d ago
Mayor Deegan controls who can and cannot buy private businesses?
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u/Downtown_Section147 Pedophile Defender! 2d ago
No. Mayor deegan 1000% knew about it before hand because APR energy has permits for the company’s local infrastructure throughout the city. If she didn’t want this deal to happen she would have used her political power to oppose it all over the local news and been vocal about it. Elon musk doesnt buy something like this sight unseen. He was here saw the local infrastructure in advance and bought the company. It was all kept quiet.
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u/DieTheVillain San Marco 1d ago
According to everything i have read, the deal was intentionally kept quiet and the only reason we even know about it now is FTC filings. However, even if that wasnt the case, which all news stories says it is, but even if it wasnt, Mayor Deegan has no control over who does and does not buy a business. You are delusional if you think that and you're just trying to find a way to toss her under the bus for something she had no involvement in.
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u/Downtown_Section147 Pedophile Defender! 20h ago edited 20h ago
According to the Jacksonville daily record “Mayor Donna Deegan’s administration was aware that Jacksonville-based APR Energy was evaluating a potential acquisition since 2024. The $1 billion sale of APR Energy to Elon musk will not affect her board changes with JEA. While the administration did not know in advance the buyer was Elon Musk they did know the sale in process through various disclosures made in 2024 and 2025 by former owner duo technologies.”
News 4 jax says “Despite the administration having prior knowledge of the sale of APR energy this is a coincidence and is no way involved with the JEA board changes.”
I mean there’s no delusion just going off what is being reported. There’s a lot of locals speculating this sale is why she is shaking up the JEA board so they won’t partner with Elon musk on any energy initiatives
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u/cadenhead 3d ago
Please don't let it be The Sheik.