MANCHESTER, Ohio — Residents packed a community meeting Wednesday night in Manchester to voice concerns about proposed data center developments on the sites of two former power plants in Adams County.
The citizen-organized and citizen-led town hall drew dozens who shared doubts about data center projects being courted by county leaders for the former Killen and Stuart power plant sites along the Ohio River.
"I don't like the fact that some of our neighbors are going to have to deal with 24-hour construction," said Nikki Gerber, an Adams County resident and business owner.
Paul Worley, Adams County's economic development director, has been actively marketing the former power plant sites to data center companies, arguing the locations are ideal because they already have access to massive amounts of power and water infrastructure.
"We don't want to turn away any opportunity if it's going to create good-paying jobs," Worley told WCPO 9 I-Team reporter Dan Monk.
But people at Wednesday's meeting questioned whether the county has the infrastructure to support such developments and whether the economic benefits would actually stay local.
"They say it's going to bring so much money to Adams County. We don't have the infrastructure in place. We don't have hotels here, we don't have Airbnbs," Gerber said. "We have two restaurants in our downtown Manchester, and so all this economic growth that they're promising with the constructions is really nonexistent because all of that money is going to go to Maysville."
WATCH: Adams County residents gather in Manchester to discuss their concerns over data centers
The Killen and Stuart plants closed in 2018, eliminating 700 jobs and costing Manchester schools $5.5 million in funding. Many families are still recovering from that economic blow.
"People want a say-so in something this large coming to our communities," said resident Emily Harper. "A lot of families are still reeling and still broken from when the power plants were still here and those employed everyone."
Despite the community concerns, activity has been happening at both former plant sites. Multiple companies have purchased land at the locations since 2021, including High Table LLC and Energy Strike LLC, which have bought 790 acres and signed option agreements with Hecate Energy, a Chicago company that supplies power to data centers, according to Adams County records.
According to our I-Team's research, both sites are being marketed as potential data center and power-generation locations by Jim Evans, a Nashville-based commercial broker for Core Real Estate.
The Killen listing says the site has the potential for 650 megawatts of power generation within 24 months.
Additionally, Buck Canyon Properties purchased 1,016 acres north of the Stuart plant for $2.65 million in 2024 and has applied for permits for a "light industrial use" project with 12 buildings.
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Worley has signed two nondisclosure agreements with companies exploring data center projects and said he promised transparency and public input if any projects move forward.
The county is positioning itself as "open to business" while trying to avoid the community backlash that other areas have experienced with data center projects. Over 1,000 Adams County residents currently drive 90 minutes or more each way to work, highlighting the need for local employment opportunities.
Sprigg Township trustees are expected to meet Feb. 23, presumably to discuss the data center projects.
