Residents who want to learn more about a controversial data center and natural gas powerplant near Glendale will have the opportunity to do so on Aug. 12.
A neighborhood meeting is scheduled for residents to ask questions about Project Eagle, the data-center component of a large development planned near Litchfield Road and Olive Avenue.
Many know the project as simply Project Baccara, but that's since shifted into the dedicated name for the adjacent 700-megawatt power generation facility.
Now that county officials have agreed the development could be built near Luke Air Force Base, representatives for the project are working to annex the 160-acre site into Glendale and rezone the property so it could move forward.
Michigan-based developer Takanock
and Montera, a hyperscale data center developer, have partnered on the development. Eanna Murphy, Montera's chief executive officer and founder, and Craig McKesson, Takanock's chief commercial officer, said they were focused on transparent communication through every step of the project.
"Together, these projects will help store critical information like medical records, financial software, and school curricula," said Murphy and McKesson in a statement. "These projects represent responsible data center development that will support the regional grid, promote environmental responsibility, and will deliver significant economic impact to our surrounding community."
The development has faced fierce pushback from nearby residents, who argue that the power plant would contribute to air pollution across the Valley and could put the Air Force base at risk for catastrophic accidents. Some neighbors say they will move away if the project is built and wonder if similar projects will soon follow.
”We can't risk the health and safety of our kids,” Hollie Tolmachoff previously told The Arizona Republic. Her home sits just more than 2,500 feet from the planned development.
The developers are planning a bring-your-own-power approach with 18 gas stacks and thousands of gallons of backup propane near a tight-knit neighborhood. That's different from the typical model, which can strain the grid and contribute to rising utility costs.
The county's Air Quality Department issued a final air permit for Project Baccara's power generation facility in June, according to Ari Halpert, a spokesperson for the county department. Air permitting for Project Eagle's backup generators was under review, Halpert said.
Once complete, the entire project was expected to have no impact on local wells of water availability and no noticeable change in noise levels at nearby homes, according to independent studies.
What do I need to know about the data hub meeting?
The meeting will be held at Dysart Middle School located at 12950 W Varney Road in El Mirage. It will be held in the school's gym, which has an approximate capacity of 430 people.
It will be facilitated by Burch & Cracciolo, a law firm representing the project through the annexation process, according to Glendale spokesperson Lesley Miller. Glendale will have minimal involvement, but attendees can ask city officials about how the project moves through the city's development department, she said.
Multiple representatives for both the law firm and the city will be at the meeting. Attendees will learn more about the project, including its water and energy use, air permitting and air quality studies, its potential for economic benefits and municipal impacts.
The Glendale City Council will hear the annexation case on Aug. 25, at which point city leaders will decide whether to proceed with the annexation.
Republic reporter Sarah Henry contributed.
Elena Santa Cruz covers the West Valley cities of Glendale, Surprise and Peoria. Reach her at elena.santacruz@arizonarepublic.com or follow her on X @ecsantacruz3.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Controversial urban Arizona power, data plant to answer to neighbors
