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Improper redaction reveals Google Data Center water and electricity usage

356 points · 458 comments · sensanaty

  1. aliasxneo · · focus · HN ↗
    I lived in a smaller rural town near a Google datacenter. During my career there I had routinely come across some outlandish accusations made about our water/power usage from the locals. But for obvious reasons I could never dispute them. I remember we hired a local who'd grown up in the town and he was "really surprised" when he started to see what we were doing to remain efficient.

    The current data center craze just feels like the same thing but on a bigger scale.

    1. michaelt · · focus · HN ↗
      > I had routinely come across some outlandish accusations made about our water/power usage from the locals. But for obvious reasons I could never dispute them.

      It'd be pretty easy for the company to dispel those outlandish accusations - the PR department could just report the true numbers.

      1. therealpygon · · focus · HN ↗
        Data centers tend to be higher security facilities for a reason. Publicizing any of their technical specs isn’t really beneficial, especially when any numbers that are provided will be dismissed unless even more information is provided to back them up.

        Effectively no reward at any risk level, regardless of whether one agrees if there is actually any risk.

        1. bliteben · · focus · HN ↗
          Absurd! every company ever would love to hide behind these same excuses.

          If they are using over a certain percent of any public utility (and yes ALL utilities are public) the utility should force it to be disclosed.

          1. dspillett · · focus · HN ↗
            > every company ever would love to hide behind these same excuses.

            Correct. But they can't so easily without Google's (or other big tech companies) big legal departments to make challenging the excuses difficult.

          2. skyberrys · · focus · HN ↗
            How do you see all utilities as public? What if a commercial building has rooftop solar?
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