Thursday, November 6, 2025
9 am - 11:30 am
 Atlanta Tech Village - Buckhead
3423 Piedmont Road NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30305

Atlanta is rapidly becoming a hub for data centers, driven by the demand for digital storage and generative AI. This growth is reshaping local utility planning, environmental policy, and community development, while raising concerns about grid strain, water use, and long-term sustainability.

This convening will focus on the policy implications of the rapid growth of data centers, with particular attention to:

• Energy use and the pressures on local and regional grids.

• Water footprint and the sustainability of cooling technologies.

• Community impact, including siting decisions, equity considerations, and economic trade-offs.

By bringing together scientists, engineers, policymakers, community voices, and early-career professionals, this event will highlight science-informed strategies for balancing energy demands and public costs while ensuring responsible, resilient, and community-centered data center expansion in Atlanta and beyond. This event is hosted by NSPN in partnership with Engineers and Scientists Acting Locally (ESAL).