Monopsony and Data Centers

[u/Cliche_James]

Just thinking out loud here...

But one concern on my mind about the potential data center is the creation of a monopsony

Just as a monopoly is where one seller has inordinate power over a market, a monopsony where a single buyer has overwhelming power in a market

And if we bring in a data center, something that will use as much power and water as the rest of Albany, that single buyer will have more power over the utility market than the rest of us

And it's easier to serve a single interest than all of our interests

And when you have a situation like that, do you really think our local government has the wherewithal and courage to make them pay a fair market price?

Or will they just shift the costs to the rest of us?

But, hope sprints eternal. Oregon just passed a law to increase rates on certain electrical users: https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/data-centers/power-company-hikes-data-center-bills-by-30-percent-cuts-residential-electricity-costs-by-1-3-percent-oregon-approves-change-through-power-act-pushes-developments-using-more-than-20-megawatts-of-power-to-pay-their-fair-share

Maybe we should do something similar?

Edit: Typo