HOPEWELL JUNCTION — Social media posts circulating in East Fishkill have fueled rumors about a proposed one-gigawatt data center in the town, drawing widespread opposition from residents. However, town officials say no such project is currently in the works.
East Fishkill Town Supervisor Nick D’Alessandro told Mid-Hudson News that the concerns are unwarranted. “There is no application for a data center in East Fishkill,” D’Alessandro said.
If built, the data center would require an electrical capacity similar to.
In 2024, East Fishkill enacted a moratorium on new warehouses, halting consideration of applications in industrial zones and approvals of existing projects. The moratorium remains in effect until June 30, 2026.
New Jersey-based Treetop Development recently inquired about the possibility of building a data center on a parcel originally slated for a 765,000-square-foot warehouse. The warehouse proposal is currently covered by the moratorium.
D’Alessandro said the town does not have the utility infrastructure needed for a data center of that scale. “There is not enough power in the area to handle a data center. It would draw more energy than currently consumed by all of the buildings in iPark 84 (formerly IBM East Fishkill),” he said.
According to D’Alessandro, a facility of that size would need a new high-voltage substation built by Consolidated Edison and Central Hudson. “A substation would require at least five years of studies and planning before seeking approval from the town,” he said Thursday.
D’Alessandro emphasized that any data center project would not move forward unless a new substation is approved and constructed, a process likely to take years.