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New Law Lets Data Centers Hide Power Usage
1sockchuck writes "Just days after Google announced that it may build a huge data center in the state, Oklahoma's governor has signed a bill into law that will effectively exempt the largest customers of municipal power companies from public disclosure of how much power they are using. Officials of the state's power industry say the measure is not a 'Google Law' but was sought 'on behalf of large-volume electric users that might be considering a move to Oklahoma.' Others acknowledge that data center operators were among those seeking the law, apparently arguing that the details of their enormous power usage are a trade secret. Google recently acquired 800 acres in Pryor, Oklahoma for possible development as a data center, and is reportedly seeking up to 15 megawatts of power for the facility."
There's got to be a point in here somewhere. I wasn't aware that A) you could check on how much power someone else was using or that B) it was any of your business or that C) you could do diddely-squat about it.
Someone care to enlighten me?
How exactly is power consumption a "trade secret?" That makes no sense...
Eviscerati.Org: All Hail the Eviscerati
If googles energy useage is hidden, the state can give them cheaper electricity than everyone else and the taxpayers pick up another corporate bill.
With the greener thinking of the world, Oklahoma's power may be from nuclear/coal plants, making Google a not so green business."Never say Never."
So, who are we to go about chucking stones at the new Evil^H^H^H^HGood Empire when we rush out to buy Plasma TVs just in time for the Super Bowl / March Madness / ...? I'll betcha that around the Super Bowl, we added a few 100 MW of draw to our already overloaded power distribution system.
Reminds me of a story of a Supreme Court oral argument once, where a Justice made a reference to the First Amendment. The lawyer arguing the case replied, "Your Honor, you know, and I know, that when it says, 'Congress shall make no law,' it actually means, 'Congress may make some law.' "
When is Google going to start getting into the power business? Seems like it's a very key part of their operation. Maybe they should start devoting some R&D twards coming up with solutions to their power consuption problem. Could save the company millions and result in technology that makes them the end all ruler of everything.
15 Megawatts is 26,800 horsepower, or about one jumbo jet. It's probably mostly for air conditioning the servers and personnel in the hot Oklahoma summer. Are you going to turn off every large business that has air conditioned facilities? Ground all the airlines? Just throw the switch on the internet, or at least ban all the porn. That ought to free up some power.
"Can you really blame us?"
Yes.
When the power company starts saying they need to build more plants or rolling blank out will start. and you can not find out how much companies are getting discounted you will only have youself to blame.
Also, when companies staart paying directly to the shareholders, and you energy bill goes up, and your taxes go up, you will only have yourself to blame.
This will not help OK for any reasonable amount of time.
Maybe people should figure out why so many are in jail. Maybe someone should allow non violent offenders out on parol so they can get a job and start paying taxes instead of just sucking them away?
Maybe someone should get all the eduqactional finance records opened up so people can see where the money is going?
No, don't do that, just use it as an excuse to be lazy and become someones bitch.
The Kruger Dunning explains most post on
For example, I used to take the paper. This had to be printed, delivered, and recycled / disposed of. Now I have several news feeds on my home page that keep me up to date. Not only do I get more information, I'm pretty sure less money goes in to delivering news feeds than printing a paper.
Another example is shopping online. I do much of my christmas / birthday shopping online. Rather than driving all over town to shops that are each individually heated / cooled, I order gifts online and have them delivered. This may or may not save energy with regard to me driving to the store vs having something delivered to my house, but large warehouses delivering to customers are bound to be more efficient than large warehouses delivering to stores, and customers coming to stores to do their shopping.
The same goes for general research, entertainment, telecommuting, etc. - I keep hearing about the energy costs associated with web based facilities, but I can't help but feel they reduce energy consumption in the end. Admittedly, they may be able to improve on their energy usage, so I'm not sure I like this new legislation (and in the state of my current residence, no less), but I would like to see some data on the energy savings that stem from data centers.
Though given Data Centers in general are one of the few rate heavy power users who use as much or more power at night than the day can present a cost savings to the power company. Especially if this center installs solar/etc meaning it uses more energy at night than the day. Trust me Google is still paying millions for its energy, but this allows the Energy Companies to use those millions to expand their offerings when ultimatly Google is adding less than this cost to the peak usage figure.
You, sir, get the crazy post award of the day. At least on your power comments.....and the rest is a little suspect too.
First of all, we (we being Oklahoma) have PLENTY of power. To my knowledge we've NEVER had rolling blackouts or anything close to that. Do you even know where OK is? Do you know how many power plants are within 200 miles of Pryor? I do. They are my customers and there are a ton of them. Additionally, we aren't like California. Contrary to what you state, we are well prepared to provide power for the foreseeable future. You see, we have been scaling up over the last 20 years to keep up with demand. Unlike other places, we don't mind building new plants. The idea that 15MW, or hell even 1500MW, would make a dent is laughable. There is plenty of power here. (sidenote: our track record for clean air really isn't all that bad either)
Second, there are many types of power companies. Private (AEP, Duke, Reliant) and Public (Co-op, Municipals, etc) companies of all kinds provide power to "the system". You cries of monopolies ring hollow because the "monopoly" part you talk about is highly highly regulated. The rest (generation) isn't. And you may not realize this but -- we have plenty of land that is suitable for power plants. So does Texas and look how many plants they have (108 just from Dallas Northeast to Texarkana -- about 1/6 of the state).
Look, I know Okla has its share of real problems. All I am saying is that power ain't one of them (had to throw in an "aint")
Secrecy is a bad thing. Secrecy is how the unscroupulous commit crimes, fraud, manipulate the system to advantage, etc.
Who give a flying flip how many computers Google uses? The secret is in how they are run. A law that hides power use is a setup for the Oklahoma government to attract a big business to the state while having ratepayers subsidize Google. It's essentially a tax.
I guarantee the other half of this story is how big of a discount Google will get for electricity.
You're joking or you're a kool aid vendor.
Ask anyone who pays a residential power bill, or anyone who has tried to do a large alternative energy grid intertie system or anyone in California after the PUC rubberstamped the industry's privatization plan which begat Enron's federally sanctioned raping of the California tax payers and the California economy - payback from Texas for being anti-bush.
If you still believe what you are selling and PUCs were actually keeping utilities "honest" then there would be no need for groups like TURN who have to fight tooth and nail to keep the PUCs being the utilities' bitch on every ruling.
Next you're going to tell us that FERC does a great job and that Polar Bears are starving themselves as publicity stunts.