MASON COUNTY, Kentucky – A controversial proposal for a massive data center development across the Ohio River is moving forward despite an ongoing legal challenge from local residents.
Officials in Mason County, Kentucky, voted Wednesday to advance plans for a hyperscale data center project. The proposal now heads to the county’s fiscal court for further consideration.
The development would involve rezoning nearly 30 properties for the digital infrastructure site.
The vote came less than a week after an attorney representing local residents filed a lawsuit aimed at blocking the project. Concerns raised in the legal action include questions over the validity of the application and broader impacts on the area.
During the meeting, commissioners were warned against discussing details of the case in public due to active litigation. The board briefly entered a closed session before returning to approve the proposal’s progression. One commissioner voted against, and another abstained.
Hyperscale data centers support cloud computing, AI systems, and digital storage. They require vast amounts of electricity, often comparable to the energy usage of small towns, and can consume millions of gallons of water per year for cooling systems.
The proposal will now go before the Mason County Fiscal Court for a final decision on rezoning.