San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan is facing growing political opposition to his push to make the city the West Coast's leading destination for data centre development, despite securing a deal with utility giant PG&E to deliver more than two thousand megawatts of power to the region.
The backlash in Silicon Valley reflects a broader pattern across the United States, where residents in multiple states are raising concerns about the enormous energy and water demands of data centre facilities.
US President Donald Trump has urged communities to embrace the projects, warning that delays could allow China to overtake America in the artificial intelligence race — but politicians in both parties are now under pressure from voters to slow the building boom.
Ira Spitzer reports from San Francisco.
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Ira Spitzer, reporting from San Francisco, says polling suggests most Americans are uncomfortable with the current pace of data centre construction — and few want one built near their home.
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