In May, Eastern Kentucky Power Cooperative reported a request from an unnamed potential customer for a project requiring 2.2 gigawatts of power by 2028. Tyler McHugh, executive director of the Maysville-Mason County Industrial Development Authority, said the applicant is a Fortune 20 tech company.
“They're just looking for a facility to house, not only just the data center, but office spaces, including, you know, meeting rooms, regular office spaces. They'll have a full restaurant with culinary services. Really just looking for what's more designed like a campus.”
McHugh said he signed a non-disclosure agreement with the company and is limited in what he can say about the project. He did say it would be the largest single investment in county history and create up to 400 jobs averaging $80,000 a year.
Lane Boldman is the director of the environmental advocacy group Kentucky Conservation Committee. She said most Mason County residents don’t know much about the proposal.
“This new industry is creating a huge impact on everyday citizens, and there needs to be more transparency. There needs to be more understanding of the impact on our resources, and, most importantly, the impact on people's personal energy bills.”
The Courier-Journal reports at least seven landowners have been approached about selling land for the project, but were only given more details after signing NDAs.
