Inside Massive Data Centers Amid Growing Concerns Over Resource Use
A recent report explores the infrastructure alongside the power and water usage of data centers, particularly highlighting facilities in Northern Virginia as the midterm elections approach. The insight covers server cooling systems, metrics for water conservation, and corporate commitments related to former President Donald Trump’s ratepayer protection pledge.
Michael Whatley, who is the former chair of the Republican National Committee and currently running for the U.S. Senate in North Carolina, has disclosed that he and his family hold energy investments valued between $246,000 and $690,000 in companies fueling the data center industry in the state. This situation raises some eyebrows about potential conflicts of interest, especially in light of Whatley’s support for data center expansion, a matter that has garnered national scrutiny due to zoning issues, energy consumption, and overall state growth.
His investments are primarily linked to four companies. It’s worth noting that he has significant holdings in Duke Energy, ranging from $149,000 to $410,000. His interests in Arista Networks are between $1,000 and $15,000, while his stake in Dominion Energy is valued between $80,000 and $200,000, and he has between $16,000 and $65,000 in GE Vernova. While most of these companies don’t directly construct data centers, they provide essential services or products for the industry. For example, Duke is a major utility provider in North Carolina, and Vernova supplies gas turbines employed by companies like Amazon and Microsoft.
Additionally, Whatley reported earning $361,000 from CAPCVentures LLC, a Washington, D.C.-based firm, for consulting services during 2025. Notably, this firm counts GE Vernova among its clients, which raises further questions regarding Whatley’s financial relationships. Prior coverage suggested that his compensation from this firm amounted to about $755,000 from 2022 to 2025.
When questioned about these holdings and any potential conflicts, Whatley’s campaign emphasized his support for restrictions on stock trading among Congress members. A campaign spokesperson remarked that Whatley advocates for the Stop Insider Trading Act and encourages the Senate to adopt legislation that requires elected officials to hold assets in qualified blind trusts. This would prevent them from influencing how these assets are invested.
The campaign also highlighted Whatley’s stance that local communities should have the authority to determine what types of data center developments would be permissible. They purport that data centers ought to cover their own expenses without imposing costs on local families. This position entails that large tech companies should finance their energy needs and any necessary grid improvements without transferring costs to residential customers, and also suggests that taxpayer money should not be used to provide special deals to these corporations.
With the political landscape heating up, Whatley’s Democratic opponent, former Governor Roy Cooper, has also been thrust into the spotlight. The campaign has critiqued Cooper for having leveraged his position to attract data centers to North Carolina, often utilizing taxpayer subsidies—though it should be noted that many of these tax incentives existed prior to Cooper’s tenure as governor.
Moving forward, the general election set for November 3 will see Cooper and Whatley square off, as they present their differing visions on issues impacting North Carolinians, particularly in terms of economic growth and local governance over development projects.
