Improper redaction reveals Google Data Center water and electricity usage
Improper redaction in public records has revealed the significant water and electricity consumption of Google's data centers in Nebraska. The data shows that these facilities use millions of gallons of water for cooling, contradicting previous attempts to keep such usage figures private as trade secrets.
Why it matters
The report raises questions about the environmental impact of large-scale AI infrastructure and the transparency of corporate resource usage.
LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) - Nebraska data centers are required to turn in an annual report to Nebraska’s Department of Water, Energy, and Environment, but some state statutes are preventing the public from seeing just how much electricity and water data centers are using.
The Google Data Center in Lincoln, named Agate LLC, claimed their electricity usage and water usage were trade secret information, citing Neb. Rev. State §§ 81-1527 ; 84-712.05 and NAC TITLE 115, CH. 2 . In fact, Google did this for all three data centers, including their sites in Omaha and Papillion.
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