PIQUA — Piqua’s City Commission approved an agreement with AES Ohio to supply power to a new data center.
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For months, the public did not know which company wanted to build the data center in the field at Washington and Farrington Roads.
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City leaders said that was because of a non-disclosure agreement.
That changed Monday when the city said Meta pledged $8 million to pay for new emergency equipment like fire trucks and police cars for the city.
“For far too long, our city has yearned for someone to take a chance on us to see all the great things in our city that we see. And to invest in our community and to change the status quo. It’s finally here,” Frank DeBrosse, vice mayor of Piqua, said.
The city council supported DeBrosse’s contractual move with AES Ohio to provide power for the data center.
“I did not run for this office to sit up here and accept the status quo. I believe in our community and that our best days are in front of us. I support this project. I support the opportunities and investment means for our community in our future,” he said.
But not everyone thinks Meta’s pledge is good for the community.
“I don’t think it’s a gift. I think it’s very insulting that they’re packaging it in that manner. This is their own liability,” Lang said.
Lang heads up Save Piqua, which is pushing for voters to decide if data centers should be allowed in their community.
She plans to start the process to overturn the city’s agreement with AES.
“I think we would prefer to have clean water, clean air, our farmland, and not be fearful of losing the homes and beautiful things that we have all invested our whole lives on here,” Lang said.
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