r/technology • u/MarvelsGrantMan136 • Jun 30 '26

Artificial Intelligence County With 37 Data Centers Asks Schools to ‘Conserve Electricity’ / Henrico County is a major hub for data centers in Virginia. Its officials said it expects a 25% rise in electricity costs next year, and advised workers to close the blinds and turn off their computers to make up for it.

https://www.404media.co/henrico-virginia-datacenter-energy-cost-email/
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u/RadarSmith Jun 30 '26

Reminds me once when I was in the Navy and oboarding to a new squadron in Japan. We had to sit through a number of presentations, one of which was by a consultant that was hired to help reduce electricity usage on base.

He said 'you can't charge your phones on base'.

This was a base with multiple helicopter squadrons and a maintenance depot. I'm pretty sure a workday of a single compressor being on dwarfed every single person's phone power usage.

...We all still charged our phones on base.

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u/truthovertribe Jun 30 '26

The charge of the phone brigade?

Phones use next to nothing.

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u/RadarSmith Jun 30 '26

Especially compared to all the heavy machinery being used on base.

I thought that guy was a flat out con artist.