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The artificial intelligence (AI) industry is growing … and so is the demand for the power-hungry banks of computers that power it.
Now there’s a plan to use the infrastructure in an old coal-fired power plant on Cayuga Lake to power a data center. TeraWulf, the main company behind the proposal, is touting the project as a greener way to power AI. Local officials and environmental advocates say they’re not so sure.
Other notes:
Transcript is auto-generated and may contain errors. Access it by clicking the transcript button on the embedded player.
This is the first time we've taken on a project like this and we want to know what you think. Fill out this survey or email audio(at)ithacavoice(dot)org. Thanks!
Original air date: Sept 12, 2025
Produced and hosted by Megan Zerez.
Reporting by Fernando Figueroa and Brian Crandall.
Cover photo by Casey Martin.
By The Ithaca Voice4.7
1717 ratings
Listen and subscribe to Backstory on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Amazon Music or wherever you get podcasts.
The artificial intelligence (AI) industry is growing … and so is the demand for the power-hungry banks of computers that power it.
Now there’s a plan to use the infrastructure in an old coal-fired power plant on Cayuga Lake to power a data center. TeraWulf, the main company behind the proposal, is touting the project as a greener way to power AI. Local officials and environmental advocates say they’re not so sure.
Other notes:
Transcript is auto-generated and may contain errors. Access it by clicking the transcript button on the embedded player.
This is the first time we've taken on a project like this and we want to know what you think. Fill out this survey or email audio(at)ithacavoice(dot)org. Thanks!
Original air date: Sept 12, 2025
Produced and hosted by Megan Zerez.
Reporting by Fernando Figueroa and Brian Crandall.
Cover photo by Casey Martin.

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