Mingo County, West Virginia, was once thriving, but the coal industry’s decline left it one of the poorest counties in the US. Now, multiple data centers could be built in the region.Are data centers a new extractive industry, or will they provide a much-needed economic lifeline? This story was produced by More Perfect Union in partnership with 100 Days in Appalachia, an independent, non-profit digital news publication.
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Data centers, even very large ones, do not create a lot of full time jobs. There are a bunch of short-term construction jobs, but few permanent roles.
But it will spike the cost of electricity and deplete the local water supply.
