Project Jupiter caused chaos at the latest Doña Ana County Commissioners meeting where Project Jupiter supporters and opponents packed the chambers as representatives were set to give the commission a presentation and updates.
Union workers filled most of the seats. Union Field Representative Uriel Apodaca said that they were there to show the opportunities that the project has brought to New Mexicans.
"I think there is a lot of misinformation out there about this project. We're out here for our members making sure our members have a job on this project," Apodaca said.
Due to the amount of people, public comments were capped at 30 speakers. There were more than 50 people who signed up to speak, and that is why constituents got upset and started chanting "Let Us Speak!"
During public comment, Chair Manuel Sanchez had called out the disruptions which included clapping and booing after every speaker, multiple times. He even paused the meeting to let security guards escort people out.
Cyndy Haber was wearing a "No Data Centers" shirt and was one of the people who got to speak; she said it was because she got there two hours before the meeting started.
"We are getting very frustrated about the response we are getting from Project Jupiter. And we are frustrated because we have been promised town halls, meetings they have been doing nothing but bait and switch," she said.
At the end of public input, security guards and constituents got into a physical altercation at the front of the room. Two people were escorted out, arrested, and taken to the detention center for disorderly conduct.
Once things calmed down, Mahesh Thiagarajan, the executive vice president of Oracle Cloud Infrastructure and Stack Infrastructure Chief Development Officer Bobby Hollis presented updates on the data center.
They were escorted into the chambers from a side door followed by security guards and were received by the audience with applause.
Thiagarajan kept repeating throughout the presentation that Oracle wants to be a good neighbor to Doña Ana County.
"Project Jupiter is a long-term partnership with Doña Ana County. Oracle is making a commitment to being in the county for decades. And we understand that this commitment should be matched with accountability, transparency, ongoing communication," he said.
In a recent news release by Oracle, they claim Project Jupiter will bring hundreds of jobs and "More than $4.7 billion in long-term economic impact to the state and county from tax revenue, investments, and additional commercial activity."
Thiagarajan said that there are 300 Doña Ana County residents and 700 total New Mexicans currently working at the site. In the past, they claimed that the project would bring 4,500 jobs, but that number has increased now that construction plans are done, he said.
"It is going to be at 7,000 jobs at peak at the site and we continue to hold the fact that there are 1,500 that are required for ongoing operations and support," Thiagarajan said.
Hollis told Commissioner Susanna Chaparro that hiring county residents would be a priority.
"One of the most important things for me that the people of Doña Ana be first and foremost prioritized, then New Mexico, then other parts of the country," she said.
Representatives mentioned the water usage of the project, which will utilize a closed loop cooling system. Thiagarajan said no potable water would be used to run or operate the center.
"The water that is used even for the one-time fill is from a sod farm," he said.
Project Jupiter would use less water annually compared to airports, baseball stadiums and fast-food restaurants, according to the presentation.
Oracle says the fuel cells will emit 92% less pollutants. The fuel cells will also be quieter. The noise that they will emit can be compared to the volume of a normal conversation. Commissioner Chaparro asked about the life span of a fuel cell, which Thiagarajan said is about 5 to 7 years they will be replaced routinely but has no idea where they will be discarded.
He also said that Oracle is committing to 100% carbon matching by 2031. Which means they will fund clean energy projects so that they can be added to the grid to match the carbons that are emitted.
At the end of the presentation Commissioners Chaparro and Susie Kimble expressed their concerns about the lack of transparency.
