Name: Independence neighbors skeptical of new AI data center proposal
Uploaded: 2026-01-13T05:05:06.461Z
Duration: 1 min 49 s
Description: Independence neighbors skeptical of new AI data center proposal

Independence neighbors skeptical of new AI data center proposal

Independence

A Dutch company, Nebbius, has proposed building a 400-acre AI data center and fully financing a new power plant in Independence, Kansas. City leaders highlight that the project would not place financial burdens on local ratepayers and could potentially lower utility costs while increasing the city's general revenue fund by 40%.

Despite these assurances, many residents remain skeptical, voicing concerns at a town hall about possible risks if the AI industry declines. The proposed data center would use significantly less water than traditional facilities, but city officials are still reviewing the project before granting full approval.

Independence is the latest city in the metro that could be getting a massive data center here off of Little Blue Parkway. I'm Isabella Ladan and I've been covering data centers for more than a year in our ongoing series, data, dollars and demand, but city leaders say that this proposal is different from the ones up in the Northland. Kansas City has several hyperscale data centers using millions of gallons of water and millions of watts of energy. I have some concerns with, you know, the impact this might have on my community, making independence neighbors skeptical of a Dutch company proposing a 400 acre. AI data center off of M78 highway. They don't have much to lose if we lose, but unlike other data center developments, company Nebbius is proposing to fully finance a new power plant for all of independence. None of this is going to fall back on the ratepayers. IPL's director says having a large customer could potentially lower the cost for neighbors. If you have bigger customers that you can sell to in bulk, it lowers the prices for all the other customers. The AI data center would recycle its water only using 1.4 million gallons. A year will be using less than your average restaurant per day, as opposed to data centers from 10 years ago where they brought in where it was an evaporative system where the water would go in and evaporate. That's not the case, but for the 250 people at the town hall on Monday, there's still the doubt that an AI bubble burst will put the cost on them. I'm just very concerned, not for myself because I've had a long life, but there are children here. There are people who need to learn and live and grow. City leaders say the project could grow the general revenue fund by 40%. It'll give us the opportunity to have better roads, better parks, better streets, better curbs, but are still asking questions before full approval. We've got to make sure this project in fact works in independence. Isabella LeDawn KSHB 41 news.

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