Passions run hot at Project Jupiter presentation

Proceedings inside the Doña Ana County Commission chambers were interrupted Tuesday due to the deep divisions surrounding Project Jupiter. The disruption came before developers of the massive artificial intelligence data center delivered a detailed public report on the project.

The meeting was briefly recessed after sheriff's deputies confronted audience members following repeated disruptions during the public comment period that preceded the presentation by Project Jupiter executives. Three people were arrested on disorderly conduct-related charges after a confrontation that began when Chairman Manny Sanchez ordered hecklers removed from the meeting.

The session resumed with representatives of Oracle and Stack Infrastructure presenting updated information to the commission. They reported that the Santa Teresa project has employed nearly 3,000 workers at peak construction, of whom about 700 are New Mexico residents and another 300 are Doña Ana County residents. Developers pledged to further increase local hiring, as thousands more construction jobs are expected over the next year.

Oracle Cloud Infrastructure Vice President Mahesh Thiagarajan said the project is expected to generate more than $4.7 billion in long-term economic impact through capital investment, tax revenue and commerce. He said developers have already paid about 80% of their $50 million commitment for county water infrastructure. He also said the project has generated about $10 million in tax revenue since construction began last September.

The presentation came as a result of months of criticism from residents who questioned the project's transparency after developers missed deadlines for quarterly employment reports required under agreements with the county.

Supporters and opponents packed the commission chambers. Project supporters praised the project for creating well-paying jobs and expanding economic opportunity, while opponents voiced ongoing concerns about water use, environmental impact, transparency and the broader implications of artificial intelligence.

In a release distributed the morning of the meeting, Oracle emphasized its recent message that Project Jupiter's updated design will significantly reduce ongoing water use and will not use any potable water.

The company said Bloom Energy's fuel cells require a one-time startup fill and only limited water for maintenance and that, averaged over 15 years, the data center cooling and fuel cell systems together are expected to use about as much water each year as nine U.S. households.

Oracle now says water for startup and maintenance of the data center and fuel cell systems will come from non-potable water, while community drinking water will be limited to ordinary employee needs such as kitchens and restrooms.

The company also restated that the Bloom Energy fuel cells will power the campus through an onsite microgrid, replacing the previously planned gas turbines and diesel generators. Compared with the prior gas turbine plan, the updated energy design is expected to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by approximately 92%.

Developers also acknowledged uncertainty surrounding the project's proposed natural gas-powered microgrid, which is awaiting an air quality permit from the New Mexico Environment Department. A hearing is scheduled for October.

Asked what would happen if the permit is denied, Thiagarajan said the company would explore purchasing power from El Paso Electric but acknowledged there is no immediate backup plan.

Oracle representatives pledged additional community outreach and said they would provide more detailed employment data later this week.