Councilmember Jones Requests Report on Data Centers Possibly Locating in Pasadena

Councilmember Justin Jones announced during the Municipal Service Committee he has requested that Pasadena Water and Power General Manager David Reyes bring forward a public report to the Municipal Services Committee, which Jones chairs, on the feasibility of data centers in Pasadena.

“For 130 years, my family has been rooted in Pasadena, and every generation has invested in the future of this city,” Jones said. “This conversation is about making sure that, if we consider new infrastructure like data centers, it reflects our values, which includes our environmental values, protects our residents, and strengthens our local economy.”

A data center is a large building filled with powerful computers that store and move digital information.

These computers keep everyday services running, such as the internet, phone apps, banking, emergency systems, and cloud storage. Even though most people never see them, data centers are a basic part of how modern life works.

Data centers are needed because the world now runs on digital information. Things like artificial intelligence, electric vehicles, online services, streaming, and remote work all depend on fast and reliable computing.

Without enough data centers, services slow down and regions can fall behind in technology and investment.

A data center can benefit the region by bringing steady revenue, supporting skilled technical jobs, and strengthening local utilities through long-term electricity use and tax income. However, they also come with downsides, including high power demand, possible water use for cooling, added strain on infrastructure, and environmental impacts.

“The environmental impacts are a real concern, and they deserve a serious public discussion,” Jones said. He also noted that the current Nobel Prize–winning work in chemistry has applications in atmospheric water harvesting, which is the process of capturing water directly from the air and turning it into usable liquid water and said he plans to invite Caltech into the conversation.

The requested report will examine whether data centers are a strategic economic and utility opportunity for Pasadena, and whether they align with the community’s long-term environmental and land-use goals. Key areas Jones wants to discuss are the Economic Pros and Cons, Zoning, Utility Revenue Potential, Environmental Impacts, Residential and Community input, and a citywide fit.

“Pasadena has always been a city that plans ahead, whether it was helping found MWD to secure water for millions, or investing early in public power,” Jones said. “But not every opportunity is automatically the right one. The purpose of this report is to give the residents and the committee clear information, and an opportunity to discuss whether data centers, private or public, are right for Pasadena?”

The report to the Municipal Services Committee will be purely exploratory and will not make any recommendations.