05/22/2026
Just imagine, what would an 80% price increase in yearly rent and a 40% price increase for a monthly electric bill would look like?
The center conversation in San Angelo is NOT just about water anymore.
The public is finally starting to ask the real questions:
Who actually benefits?
And who ends up paying the price?
Look at what is already happening in Abilene during the AI/data center boom:
• Rent reportedly increasing by nearly $1,000–$1,100 in some areas within one year
• Hotels, apartments, and RV parks filling with temporary workers
• Increased traffic and pressure on roads and infrastructure
• Massive strain on electricity demand
• Industrial noise operating 24/7
• Tax abatements for billion-dollar corporations
• Housing shortages affecting local families
Now imagine what that could look like in San Angelo. Current average rent in San Angelo is around $1,395. If San Angelo experienced the same type of housing pressure Abilene is seeing, average rent could potentially approach $2,400–$2,500.That is nearly an 80% increase.
WHO can afford that?
• Seniors on Social Security?
• Veterans?
• Families on Medicare or Medicaid?
• Teachers?
• Nurses?
• Single parents?
• Working families already living paycheck to paycheck?
The billion-dollar corporations can afford rising costs. Local families cannot. And people also need to understand this is not just a “construction project.” These facilities can permanently change communities.
Data centers require:
• Massive electrical demand
• Industrial cooling systems
• Backup generators
• Large infrastructure upgrades
• Constant maintenance and operations
The Department of Energy has already warned that data center electricity usage in America could rise from 4.4% of total U.S. power usage to as much as 12% by 2028 because of AI expansion.
Somebody eventually pays for grid upgrades, roads, emergency services, water systems, and infrastructure expansion. And historically, taxpayers often end up carrying part of that burden while corporations receive tax incentives and abatements.
And yes — people also need to stop pretending rapid workforce booms never create social problems. Across the country, law enforcement agencies have warned that large industrial growth projects can increase risks tied to:
• Drug activity
• Organized crime
• Human trafficking
• S*x trafficking
• Exploitation
• Increased strain on emergency services and law enforcement
That does NOT mean every worker is bad. It means cities MUST prepare for the reality of rapid growth instead of ignoring it. And then there is the noise
People living near large data centers in other states have reported:
• Sleep disruption
• Headaches
• Anxiety
• Stress
• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Low-frequency vibrations felt inside homes
These facilities run 24/7. Cooling systems, industrial fans, generators, and electrical systems do not shut off. And what about our farmers? West Texas farmers are already battling drought, rising fuel prices, water shortages, unstable markets, and increasing costs. Additional industrial pressure on water, electricity, roads, and infrastructure affects THEM too.
This issue is NOT just about water anymore.
It is about:
• Rent
• Housing
• Electricity
• Taxes
• Infrastructure
• Noise pollution
• Public safety
• Farmers
• Cost of living
• Human impact
• And whether San Angelo families will still be able to afford living here 5–10 years from now
People asking questions are not “fear mongering.”
They are trying to protect their homes, families, livelihoods, and future.
Contributed by: Leonore Smith
