Improper redaction reveals Google Data Center water and electricity usage
Improper redaction reveals Google Data Center water and electricity usage
错误的遮盖处理导致谷歌数据中心的水电用量曝光
LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) - Nebraska data centers are required to turn in an annual report to Nebraska’s Department of Water, Energy, and Environment, but some state statutes are preventing the public from seeing just how much electricity and water data centers are using. The Google Data Center in Lincoln, named Agate LLC, claimed their electricity usage and water usage were trade secret information, citing Neb. Rev. State §§ 81-1527; 84-712.05 and NAC TITLE 115, CH. 2. In fact, Google did this for all three data centers, including their sites in Omaha and Papillion.
内布拉斯加州林肯市（KOLN）报道——内布拉斯加州的数据中心被要求向该州水、能源与环境部（DWEE）提交年度报告，但一些州法规却阻碍了公众了解这些数据中心究竟消耗了多少电力和水资源。位于林肯市、名为“Agate LLC”的谷歌数据中心援引内布拉斯加州修订法规第 81-1527 条、84-712.05 条以及 NAC 第 115 篇第 2 章，声称其用电量和用水量属于商业机密。事实上，谷歌对其所有三个数据中心（包括位于奥马哈和帕皮利恩的站点）都采取了同样的做法。
However, using a computer cursor to highlight the redacted text box in the report to DWEE, then copying and pasting it into a separate document reveals that Agate LLC is reporting 52.65 megawatts of electricity during peak electrical demand and 13.299 megagallons of water between cooling towers, evaporative systems and site operations in the last year. That totals out to 13 million gallons of water.
然而，通过使用电脑光标选中提交给 DWEE 报告中被遮盖的文本框，并将其复制粘贴到单独的文档中，可以发现 Agate LLC 报告其用电高峰期的电力需求为 52.65 兆瓦，过去一年中冷却塔、蒸发系统和现场运营的用水量为 1329.9 万加仑。总计约为 1300 万加仑水。
For context, 13 million gallons is enough to fill around 20 Olympic-size swimming pools, and is less than half of what the City of Lincoln reports using on Sept. 29.
作为参考，1300 万加仑的水足以填满约 20 个奥林匹克标准游泳池，这还不到林肯市 9 月 29 日报告用水量的一半。
The six data centers reporting as of Sept. 30 show a total use of 765 million gallons of water last year, enough water to fill 1,159.93 Olympic-size swimming pools. More improper redaction shows that the data center using the most water annually is Fireball Group LLC, the Google Data Center in Papillion. Fireball LLC reports 547.88 megagallons for their 2025 Annual Water Consumption.
截至 9 月 30 日，提交报告的六个数据中心显示去年总用水量为 7.65 亿加仑，足以填满 1159.93 个奥林匹克标准游泳池。更多不当的遮盖处理显示，年度用水量最大的数据中心是位于帕皮利恩的谷歌数据中心——Fireball Group LLC。Fireball LLC 报告其 2025 年年度用水量为 5.4788 亿加仑。
10/11 filed a public record request Sept. 30 to see redacted information from Agate LLC’s report. 10/11 filed a public record request to Nebraska DWEE on Sept. 30 to see redacted information.
10/11 电视台于 9 月 30 日提交了一份公共记录请求，旨在查看 Agate LLC 报告中被遮盖的信息。10/11 电视台于 9 月 30 日向内布拉斯加州 DWEE 提交了公共记录请求，以查看被遮盖的信息。
Further improper redaction reveals exactly how much of a 2025 tax refund Google data centers expect.
进一步的不当遮盖处理还揭示了谷歌数据中心预计获得的 2025 年退税金额。
Google’s reports state that data centers only “utilize or expect to utilize” sales and use tax exemptions under the Nebraska Advantage Act. Reports state no rebates have been received for that program to date, nor have any incentive payments been received, or are expected to be received under the ImagiNE Nebraska Act.
谷歌的报告称，这些数据中心仅“利用或预期利用”《内布拉斯加州优势法案》（Nebraska Advantage Act）下的销售税和使用税豁免。报告指出，迄今为止，该项目尚未收到任何退税，也没有收到或预期收到《ImagiNE 内布拉斯加州法案》下的任何激励性付款。
Agate LLC reports expecting a refund of $55,822,472 from 2025 taxes. Fireball LLC is expecting a refund of $39,171,573.39 from 2025 taxes. Westwood Solutions LLC, the Google-owned data center in Omaha, is expecting a refund of $22,558,881 from 2025 taxes. Documents submitted by Agate LLC show that the gross floor area is 288,530 square feet - about five football fields.
Agate LLC 报告称，预计 2025 年税收退款为 55,822,472 美元。Fireball LLC 预计 2025 年税收退款为 39,171,573.39 美元。位于奥马哈的谷歌旗下数据中心 Westwood Solutions LLC 预计 2025 年税收退款为 22,558,881 美元。Agate LLC 提交的文件显示，其总建筑面积为 288,530 平方英尺，相当于约五个足球场的大小。
The Department of Water, Energy, and Environment Data Center Task Force is overseeing the execution of Governor Jim Pillen’s July 20th Executive Order requiring data centers in the state to self-report their impact on Nebraska’s resources; primarily water, power grids and local infrastructure. Usage reports are due by Sept. 30.
水、能源与环境部数据中心特别工作组正在监督州长吉姆·皮伦（Jim Pillen）7 月 20 日行政命令的执行情况，该命令要求州内数据中心自查并报告其对内布拉斯加州资源（主要是水资源、电网和当地基础设施）的影响。使用情况报告的截止日期为 9 月 30 日。