(Seguin) — There has been significant discussion recently about data centers and their impact on the communities where they are built. That is especially true in Guadalupe County, where a data center is currently in the development process and others could potentially follow.
This week’s Saturday Topic program will focus on the proposed CloudBurst Data Center, which is slated to be built off Centerpoint Road in northern Guadalupe County.
Our guest is Cynthia Thompson, co-founder and executive chairperson of CloudBurst Data Centers. Thompson discusses data centers in general but focuses primarily on the specifics of the company’s proposed $14 billion project.
During the interview, Thompson answers questions about water usage, power generation, noise and light pollution, environmental impacts, and tax abatements. Those issues have been raised by a growing number of local residents who question whether the AI-ready data center will be a benefit to Guadalupe County.
The Guadalupe County Commissioners Court recently approved a tax abatement agreement with CloudBurst, allowing the project to move forward. The 3-2 vote came despite opposition from a significant number of residents who spoke against the proposal.
Thompson’s answers may not satisfy the project’s harshest critics, but she says she hopes others will gain a better understanding of what CloudBurst is planning and why she believes the project will ultimately be a positive addition to the county.
“I would like them to know that my son lives in New Braunfels. His family is there. He has four children and a wife. I want to leave a legacy of building something that the community is proud of, that’s environmentally friendly, that people look back and say, that CloudBurst data center, that was a real win for our community. Our commissioners made the right decision and while maybe at this moment in time, I don’t really get it — that the actions that they put forth, their involvement in our community, their desire to be sustainable has really paid off and it was something that was a win-win for all of us,” said Thompson.
Our full conversation with Cynthia Thompson airs at 8 a.m. Saturday on AM 1580 KWED and streams live online at seguintoday.com. Listeners can also hear the station on any Alexa-enabled device by saying, “Alexa, play KWED Radio.”