Sean Lawler, Senior Manager of Project Development at Geronimo Power, spoke to the Murry County Commissioners on Tuesday during their regular meeting, addressing concerns and answering questions about the powered data park being proposed in Nobles County.
Although Geronimo is very experienced in renewable energy, this is their first foray into building a data center, Lawler said.
The five elements needed to build such a center in an area are simple – access to electricity, labor, fiber, roads and a supportive community partner.
The concerns people are talking about include water, land usage and noise, all of which Lawler addressed. Using a closed loop cooling system, once filled, water loss would be negligible unless it needs topping off. Lawler said the most water usage, approximately 4.3 million gallons a year, would come from worker use for bathrooms, drinking water, etc.
“To put it into context, that is about how much water would be used in a year in 40 homes, or two commercial car wash facilities,” he explained.
In regard to noise concerns, yes, Lawler said, if you are next to the fans or in the building, it is loud. But state standards require noise that reaches residences to remain below 50 decibels at night, which is comparable to the sound of a household refrigerator. Sound from day-to-day operations is expected to be low and generally below typical rural background noise. Berms, bushes and trees should alleviate much of that noise.
One myth Lawler is trying to debunk is that having a data center will drive up electrical costs, which is not true, he said.
“Data centers actually help keep rates stable,” Lawler explained, then deferred to Nobles Cooperative Electric General Manager Adam Trombley.
“We support this project 100 percent,” Trombley said. “We view it as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
Trombley went on to say it would stabilize rates and offer the ability to upgrade infrastructure and improve substations.
“The cost of power will be better if this project happens,” he stated.
Geronimo has several wind and solar projects happening around the area in Cottonwood, Redwood, Murray and Nobles Counties. Those projects will stay on track whether the data center goes in or not.
“They stand on their own,” Lawler said.
Yes, there would be a portion of tillable land being taken out of production for the data center, Lawler acknowledged, but it would be 0.2 percent of tillable land in Nobles County. The data center would sit on 640 acres.
From an economic development standpoint, the construction jobs would bring in 1,000 workers over the 3-year build, Lawler said. That would be people using local stores, restaurants, gas stations and housing. After construction is complete, there will still be 100 full-time jobs on site. Those would include security, technicians, janitors, site management and more.
While the commissioners had a few questions, board chair Mark Carlson stated he appreciated the transparency Geronimo has offered and said he trusts Adam Trombley and his board.
In other business, the commissioners recognized April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Stacey Overgaaw from New Horizons said their organization assisted 11 Murray County residents with sexual assault cases in 2025, which is likely a fraction of those actually experiencing assault.
“People deserve to be listened to,” she said.
Commissioners also approved a ditch inspection report and the 2026 ditch spraying bid. Following a public hearing earlier this month regarding the partial abandonment, impoundment and modification of Judicial Ditch 14, the commissioners on Tuesday appointed a state engineer to complete the review.
