Data Center Hoots: Microsoft DataOne Embarrassment
October 2, 2026
Another dinobaby post. No AI unless it is an image. This dinobaby is not Grandma Moses, just Grandpa Arnold.
I love “data centers? What!” stories. Here’s a good one: “New Jersey Says DataOne’s 62 Generators Are Illegal. It’s Letting Them Run for 45 More Days.” I remember when I had duties in Florham Park. I remember landing at Newark. I remember renting a car. I remember driving by Tuscan Farms’ dairy. I remember thinking, “That dairy looks like an oil cracking plant.” I remember the interesting odors on the drive and in Florham Park.
Now there’s an additional contributor to the environment of New Jersey: A big data center with just 62 turbines running 24×7 because of the electricity demands of smart software and who knows what other goodies? The write up says:
DataOne, a Microsoft-linked AI data center, has stirred controversy since it broke ground in 2025 due to consistent noise complaints, unpermitted construction and a combative zoning process. The site lies roughly 40 miles outside Philadelphia and is slated to provide AI computing power to Microsoft as part of a $17-billion deal with Nebius, a Dutch AI infrastructure giant.
Okay, not Florham Park. The site is closer to Philadelphia. I used to have duties at two outfits in Philly. One of them was salubrious. The other was near some industrial facilities. There were not in the milk and ice cream business. These reminded me of the photos of the Texas City Disaster in 1947. The rent was lower I assumed.
Thanks, MidJourney. Good enough.
The write up says:
Last month, Floodlight flew a thermal drone alongside the facility and found the site operating 45 of the site’s 62 generators. NJDEP then confirmed to Floodlight that they’d never issued permits for the machines, which emit substantial amounts of health-harming air pollution linked to asthma, heart attacks and even premature death. At the time, former Environmental Protection Agency Air Enforcement Chief Bruce Buckheit said that DataOne’s actions “violate federal law” and that the company should immediately stop operating the generators.
What’s the crisis management fix? The article quotes a spokesperson:
“We are transitioning to low-emission, quiet fuel cells as part of the site’s permanent power solution and have the necessary approvals in place for this solution. While we disagree with the temporary generator determination, we will apply for the air permits for the temporary generators and are in communication with the Department of Environmental Protection regarding its findings and the fuel cell transition timeline.”
Several observations are warranted:
First, this turbine operation was a surprise until a third-party outfit used a drone to determine what was running. Presumably the other 17 on site generators were down for maintenance or in stand by mode. The key point: Who knew?
Second, the operation of the generators violated state and Federal law. I think I can predict how this will work out if Microsoft / DataOne let loose their legal eagles.
Third, the “transition” angle. One question is, “Was cost the reason Microsoft / DataOne flipped on the turbines?” My hunch is that one reason for the environmentally unfriendly approach will be, “We really wanted fuel cells, but there was a delay. The turbines are just a stop gap.” I understand.
Why do I find this amusing? It’s New Jersey. Dairies that look like cracking plants. Now dozens of turbines and no one noticed.
Stephen E Arnold, October 2, 2026
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Really enjoyed this, thank you. The detail on the common mistakes is what made it worth my time. enhance HDR photos online has saved me doing it by hand more than once.