Frequently Asked Questions

Projects such as Golden Valley are subject to environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). This process evaluates a range of potential impacts, including topics such as air quality, water use, biological resources, traffic, noise, cultural resources, and public services.

As part of the process, environmental studies are completed and made available for public review. Community members, organizations, agencies, and other stakeholders have opportunities to review project information and provide comments that are considered as part of the environmental review process.

Additional information about opportunities for public participation will be shared as the project advances through permitting and environmental review.

In some communities, concerns have been raised that large data centers can drive costly power infrastructure upgrades that may ultimately be passed on to residents and businesses. Golden Valley is different. The project will be responsible for 100% of the infrastructure costs required to serve the data center and is designed around dedicated power from the Elk Hills Power Plant rather than relying on the local residential grid for daily operations.
This approach is intended to support reliable operations while minimizing impacts on local electricity customers.

Many people are familiar with a car radiator, which circulates coolant through a closed system to remove heat. A closed-loop cooling system works on a similar principle. Water is continuously recirculated through the cooling system rather than being used once and discharged or evaporated. Because the water is reused, the system requires an initial fill and limited replenishment over time, resulting in significantly lower water consumption than traditional cooling methods. For Golden Valley, this design is expected to reduce water use from millions of gallons per day to approximately 6,000 gallons per year for cooling system replenishment.

The Golden Valley Technology Hub will be built on 100 acres of land currently used for oilfield operations. This site will include a 400,000 square foot data warehouse, an electrical substation, an office, and a parking lot.

Construction timing has not yet been determined. The project is currently in the planning, engineering, and environmental review stages. Before construction could begin, the project would need to complete applicable permitting and environmental review requirements, secure necessary approvals, and reach key commercial and development milestones.

As the project advances, updates will be shared with the community through this website and other engagement channels.

Traffic impacts will be evaluated as part of the project's environmental review and engineering process.

Like most large construction projects, Golden Valley would generate additional vehicle traffic during the construction phase, including workers, equipment deliveries, and material shipments. Traffic volumes are expected to be highest during construction and significantly lower once the facility is operational.

Data centers generally have relatively low day-to-day traffic compared to many industrial, manufacturing, or distribution facilities. Once operational, traffic is expected to consist primarily of employees, maintenance personnel, and occasional equipment deliveries.

As studies are completed, any necessary traffic management measures, roadway improvements, or mitigation requirements will be identified and implemented in coordination with local agencies and transportation authorities.