Bensalem Township Council approved a new ordinance in regards to any AI data centers coming to the township at Monday’s Council meeting.
Council since in June, has been working hard to create a ordinance for data centers that could possibly move and or open operations in the township. The idea behind these ordinances mostly focus on the fact that these data centers will take up buildings no longer in use, as opposed to new ones being built.
Council Solicitor Joseph Pizzo explained that the ordinance looks the same as it does from their September 28th meeting, but with a few tweaks made after receiving feedback from both the county planning commission and the township planning commission.
Councilman Joseph Knowles asked Pizzo if one part of the ordinance would be found to be illegal, would all of the ordinance be still be applicable.
“If any section of the ordinance should be declared invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction it’s not our intent that the remainder that would not be found illegal it would remain in place.” Pizzo explained.
Pizzo added if needed, changes could be made to the ordinance in the future.
Councilman Joseph Wenzel Jr explained that he was still concerned over the fact that data centers couldn’t use their own power generator, as he believed PECO would pass the cost onto consumers. He suggested that if data centers could create their own power and keep it under the sound decimal, they should be allowed to use them.
“My fear to this day is that PECO is going to give them the thumbs up no matter what. They’re going to hook up, and things around here are going to need to be upgraded and it’s going to end up on everyone (the cost).”
Knowles stated that he wasn’t on board with that idea because it would give data center attendants an opportunity to use buildings that might not be able to get power to them.
Council vice president Jesse Soan asked Pizzo a question in regards to the decommissioning fee.
“Financial security shall equal 110% of the estimated decommissioning cost, is that in today dollars or future dollars?”
Pizzo explained that he would add a sentence to make sure that the decommissioning cost would apply to future cost.
“We would just need to add there is a sentence similar to what you do currently with land development, have them periodically monitored to make sure that they’re adequate to cover the then cost.”
Data Centers are a hot button issue across the country as borne out by Election Day exit polls.
Council voted unanimously to pass the data center ordinance.
Recent Comments