Google is funding a new data center in Kansas that will be powered primarily by a newly built, large-scale natural gas power plant. The project, developed by the utility Evergy, involves constructing a 102-megawatt gas plant alongside the data center. This approach highlights a tension between the rapid growth of energy-intensive data centers, particularly for AI, and the tech industry’s stated goals of achieving 24/7 carbon-free energy. While Google states the project is part of a broader strategy to decarbonize the grid and that it will match its electricity use with regional clean energy on an annual basis, the immediate reliance on fossil fuels has drawn criticism from environmental advocates who argue it contradicts climate commitments. The situation underscores the complex challenges of meeting surging electricity demand while transitioning to cleaner power sources. Read the full article at: https://www.wired.com/story/a-new-google-funded-data-center-will-be-powered-by-a-massive-gas-plant/