Microsoft has promised that people living near its data centers will not see higher electricity bills due to its expansion.
Environmental concern and rising energy costs have people standing together against the idea of big corporations building data centers in their communities.
To address their concerns, the software giant came up with a five-point plan that includes paying the full cost of the power its data centers use, replacing more water than it consumes, and adding to local tax revenues rather than asking for tax breaks.
These deals will help utilities upgrade power infrastructure and increase electricity supply without shifting costs to households. He said the company will pay higher utility rates if needed to fully cover its electricity use.
The pledge comes as companies are seeing growing public opposition to data centers. Last year saw 25 data centers canceled after protests compared to just six the year before, according to Heatmap Pro.
Consumers have also noticed a jump in their electricity costs. Utilities charged customers about 6% more for electricity in August compared with a year earlier.
Microsoft has already faced local pushback. In Wisconsin, residents raised concerns about water and power use, leading the company to drop plans for one data center site. The company says it listens to community feedback before moving forward.
Microsoft plans to nearly double its data center footprint over the next two years. In the September quarter alone, it spent almost $35 billion on cloud and AI infrastructure, up 75% from a year earlier. Now the company is doing damage control for its projects.