Category Archives: Broadband Applications

Data centers come up in race for Steele County Commissioner District 1 seat

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Owatonna’s People’s Press reports…

Justin Ohnstad and Gary Spatenka are vying for the Steele County Commissioner District 1 seat, which is soon to be vacated by James Brady. Ahead of the election, both discussed their perspectives on public safety facilities in Owatonna, data centers and their primary focus if elected.

Here’s what Justin Ohnstad had to say…

As data centers are a major topic of interest in neighboring communities, Ohnstad was asked what his approach would be to the possibility of their construction in the future.

“To my knowledge we’re not being approached for that at this time. There are a lot of questions that need to be asked: location, utility consumption, rate increases and things of that nature,” he said. “How will it impact if it can be a positive impact on the residents of Steele County? It’s definitely worth exploring. Which is not a yes answer. However, let’s ask the questions and figure out what benefits it might bring to the county.”

Ohnstad also discussed the benefits and potential for overreach inherent in the use of Flock cameras.

“I don’t have a ton of research on them. However, my personal belief is I don’t need a camera to take a picture of my license plate three times a day when I come in and out of town,” he said. “That being said, if something were to happen to a community member like an abduction, (Flock cameras) would be an asset for law enforcement and potentially expedite the recovery which could be invaluable. I think government serves a role and it certainly has to have an involvement in people’s daily function, but they are tiptoeing on the line with being too much Big Brother for me.”

Here’s what Gary Spatenka had to say…

His opinion on data centers is contingent on future conversations with the community.

“The big thing right now we have going on in the county is going to be these data centers and that hasn’t really come up yet,” Spatenka said. “I think that we have to sit down as a county and have open meetings to discuss these data centers because we don’t really know a lot about them yet.”

Data centers come up in Eagan City Council race between Paul Bakken, Gary Hansen, Scott Armitage and Jason Narverud (Dakota County)

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Hometown Source reports…

Four candidates for two open seats on the Eagan City Council debated perspectives on local issues at a forum moderated by the League of Women Voters-Dakota County and broadcasted on Eagan Television inside Eagan High School studio.

Eagan constituents will chose two candidates on the Tuesday, Nov. 3, general election that includes incumbent council members, Paul Bakken and Gary Hansen, and candidates Scott Armitage and Jason Narverud.

Here’s what they said about data centers…

During the forum, candidates addressed many issues. One question was: “Eagan was the first city in Minnesota to pass a moratorium on new data center development. As a council member, do you support the moratorium as the right way to study impacts like electricity demand and water use before more data centers are built? When the moratorium expires, what specific standards would you want in place before Eagan allows new data center projects to move forward?”

Narverud said he agrees with the unanimous council vote to issue a one-year moratorium, saying “What you do in that year, I think, it is super important as well. What is your end goal? I think being patient is good, but at some point in time, are you deferring the answer and not actually answering it. I don’t want to become too patient. I want to make sure that we answer the questions. We have data centers here and they have been good neighbors for the most part, I would say. I think what we are talking about is hyperscale data centers, what people read in the news. What happens if they decide to walk away? What happens if there’s a leak? What happens if they want to decommission in a certain way? Those are the kind of details that we need to have those questions answered upfront,” Narverud said.

Bakken said the moratorium allowed the city time to study the data center issues, update city ordinances and protect public health and safety. “Some of those things are water usage, noise, light pollution, and other types of negative externalities that are not compatible with existing established surrounding areas. There is a little bit of frustration here because the city Eagan is currently being sued by a would-be data center, so those of us who are on the council are a little bit restrictive in what we can or cannot say,” Bakken said.

Armitage said during his campaigning and door knocking, residents talk about concerns regarding data centers. “Some of the issues, obviously, are the forever chemicals, the noises, the limited employment, the air pollution, but there are opportunities to limit water use and electricity when data centers are built, and the city of Eagan has that opportunity to do that,” Armitage said, adding more data and research needs to known on the longterm effects from data centers.

Hansen said the city’s moratorium allows the city time to collect information and figure out how to best regulate data centers. Hansen said Eagan has four data centers that can be considered smaller data centers that are an auxiliary to businesses. “But we have to be careful about where those data centers are located. They can’t be near residential neighborhoods because of the nuisance that they do, in terms of the noise and the vibration, and we know all about that,” Hansen said.

 

Data centers come up in MN Senate Race: Views from Peggy Flanagan and Michele Tafoya

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MN Star Tribune reports…

The rapid expansion of data centers has become a political flashpoint in Minnesota, as technology companies seek land, electricity and water to power the infrastructure behind artificial intelligence.

Supporters see an opportunity to attract investment and expand the state’s technology industry. Opponents worry that the enormous facilities could strain local resources, increase utility bills and leave communities with little influence over developments that could reshape their surroundings.

The issue has emerged in Minnesota’s U.S. Senate race, with Democratic Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan taking a more skeptical approach to the industry’s growth and Republican Michele Tafoya emphasizing economic development alongside local oversight.

Both candidates say residents should have a meaningful voice in decisions about new facilities and should not be left paying for their construction or operation. But Flanagan has called for stronger protections against corporate influence, while Tafoya has argued that Minnesota should welcome new investment if developers are transparent about the costs and consequences.

Their positions come as communities across Minnesota debate proposed projects and state policymakers grapple with how to regulate an industry whose demand for electricity and water could have far-reaching consequences.

The article outlines their views on the following data center issues:

  • Data center development and local control

  • Electricity costs and water consumption

  • Transparency and corporate influence

  • Regulations, tax incentives and environmental protections

  • Should data center construction be paused?

DEED Awards More Than $2.5 Million in Grants to Minnesota Colleges and Universities for Employer Workforce Development Projects

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DEED announces…

Today, the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) announced 14 workforce developments grants totaling over $2.5 million to eight Minnesota educational institutions that are partnering with Minnesota businesses to develop and deliver customized workforce training programs. Grantees expect to train more than 2,000 workers through these programs.

“Workforce training programs strengthen Minnesota’s economy by helping workers build their skills and lay the foundations for long-term success for businesses and Minnesota families. By creating a pool of trained program graduates, we can connect highly-skilled workers to careers in high-demand fields with family sustaining wages,” said DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek. “Minnesota’s higher education institutions are essential partners in that work, with proven track records in delivering effective, customized training programs for Minnesota businesses.”

Participating businesses must partner with an accredited educational institution for these Minnesota Jobs Skills Partnership (MJSP) grants, awarded to the educational institution to develop and deliver custom training for the business. Programming covered by the grants includes onboarding and training new workers, upskilling current workers, promoting workforce diversity, defining career pathways, developing communication and leadership skills, and more.

Since 2019, MJSP has awarded $47.5 million to train more than 47,000 workers and has leveraged $79.1 million in private funding.

Grants announced today include:

$466,977 to Normandale Community College for a partnership with Seagate Technology

Seagate Technology, with operations in Bloomington and Shakopee, is the world’s leading supplier of hard disk drives. Seagate will invest in a training program that will reduce turnover, mitigate the impact of retirements and create pathways for advancement at all levels. Normandale Community College will develop a training program for incumbent employees focusing on building skills in four areas: leadership and supervisor excellence, applied problem solving, operational excellence and improvement and data, automation and emerging technology skills. Participants completing the courses in operational excellence and improvement will be eligible to take the Manufacturing Skills Standards Council (MSSC) exam to become Certified Production Technicians.

$432,869 to the University of Minnesota for a partnership with Boston Scientific

Boston Scientific, a leading global medical technology company, needs to equip employees with AI-related and digital skills by integrating these capabilities into existing roles and prioritizing workforce retention. A partnership with Carlson School of Management will develop the AI Demystification Initiative, a three-part leadership development and business impact program designed to build strategic AI and analytics capability. The initiative consists of three integrated components: AI Project, Strategic Implementation and AI Operational Execution. Instruction will be delivered in classrooms, hands-on AI labs and structured faculty coaching. Upon completion, engineers and leadership will receive a certificate from Carlson Executive Education.

$357,637 to Hennepin Technical College for a partnership with Medtronic

Medtronic is a Minnesota-based global leader in healthcare technology. Medical device manufacturing is undergoing rapid automation and technological advancements, resulting in a growing skills gap in equipment maintenance for complex advanced robotic and automated systems. Hennepin Technical College will develop and deliver comprehensive automation robotics training to incumbent employees. Courses will include Automation Controls, Industrial Electricity and Electronics, Introduction to Robotics, Fuji Automatic Numerical Control (FANUC) and Fluid Power Motion Control and be fully or partially aligned with industry-recognized certification exams.

$300,000 to Century College for a partnership with Aprios

Aprios, headquartered in Brooklyn Park, is an employee-owned custom manufacturing company specializing in high-precision plastic injection molding and additive manufacturing. The company serves medical devices, industrial, filtration and aerospace markets. Century College will create a training program that will develop technical, operational and leadership capabilities across the organization. Classroom instruction will be combined with applied, workplace-based learning, incorporating theory, case studies, guided exercises and hands-on experience within Aprios’ manufacturing environment.

$260,000 to Normandale Community College for a partnership with Advanced Web Technologies

Advanced Web Technologies (AWT), headquartered in Minneapolis, specializes in custom labeling, packaging and precision converting solutions. AWT will partner with Normandale Community College to develop a scalable, equitable and sustainable training program to support the increasing complexity of the production, administration, supervisory and leadership roles of its workforce. Training will be delivered on-site through instructor-led sessions, cohort-based learning and applied, scenario-based exercises. Upon completion, trainees will receive Lean Six Sigma Certifications.

$200,000 to Hennepin Technical College for a partnership with Heliene USA

Heliene USA is a lead producer of solar photovoltaic modules with high-capacity manufacturing facilities located in Mountain Iron and Rogers. Heliene will partner with Hennepin Technical College and Minnesota North College to create a course to invest in consistent education and skill development at their facilities. The course will ensure all entry-level and existing employees have sufficient background to support growing production and troubleshooting needs, integrate safe, efficient and quality practices across all functions, and develop a minimum level of cross-functional knowledge. Training completion will result in hours-based certificates for each skill area with opportunities for credit-for-prior learning transfer for both colleges.

$135,626 to St. Cloud State University for a partnership with Park Industries

Park Industries, headquartered in St. Cloud, is a leading manufacturer of stone fabrication machinery. Park Industries wants to build a comprehensive, scalable workforce development system that expands training capacity, advances leadership capability, strengthens customer-facing effectiveness, and enhances workplace culture and safety. St. Cloud State University will develop a two-track training program consisting of Track One: Organizational & Workforce Development and Track Two: Sales & Customer Facing Excellence. All courses will be delivered in-person or online with interactive, scenario-based instruction and hands-on practice. Track One participants will earn industry-recognized HubSpot CRM and SMEI certifications.

$130,000 to Century College for a partnership with J&B Group

J&B Group, located in St. Michael, is a family-owned and operated cold chain provider of protein and deli products for a variety of supply chain needs. J&B wants to invest in a comprehensive, multi-phase leadership development strategy to address a skills gap in leadership competencies. The company will partner with Century College to develop a two-phased development and change capability initiative. Phase One: Accelerate Leadership Development Program will consist of instructor-led workshops focused on foundational leadership behaviors. Phase Two: Advanced Leadership Development & Succession readiness will focus on deepening leadership capability through the Leadership Mentoring Program, Self-Awareness & Leadership Assessments and ExperienceChange Simulation for hands-on practice in navigating realistic change scenarios.

$49,997 to Hennepin Technical College for a partnership with La Machine Shop

La Machine Shop, located in Ham Lake, is a family owned and operated precision machining contract manufacturer services. La Machine Shop is preparing to operate in a more regulated, defense-ready operating environment and needs to train its incumbent workforce for the transition. Hennepin Technical College will design a 38-hour training program with nine modules covering secure handling of controlled technical information, enclave-user workflows, paper CUI procedures, cybersecurity awareness, approved communication and subcontractor transfer practices, incident recognition and escalation, supervisor accountability and internal sustainment. Instruction will be delivered using a blended approach, including workshops, small groups, awareness-based instruction and scenario-based exercises.

$49,963 to Anoka-Ramsey Community College for a partnership with MRG Tool & Die

MRG Tool & Die is a family-owned small business in Faribault operating as a sole-source tool and die company specializing in close-tolerance metalworking. MRG wants to provide AI readiness training to transition its workforce and support effective integration of AI into core business operations. Anoka-Ramsey Community College, in partnership with MRG, will develop a twelve-month training program consisting of five courses totaling 40 hours of in-person instruction. Training will focus on building AI literacy across all occupational levels while piloting AI-driven projects that address specific business challenges.

$49,794 to Anoka-Ramsey Community College for a partnership with Mate Precision

Located in Anoka, Mate Precision Technologies specializes in work holding tooling devices and technologies for machinery, computers, peripherals, networking and electronic equipment industries. Mate wants to invest in workforce training to adopt, apply and integrate next-generation technologies within manufacturing processes and functions, including AI- and IT-based data analytics. Anoka-Ramsey Community College will develop a four-course training program totaling 44 training hours to be delivered in-person and on-site over a twelve-month period. Current employees will be selected for training from technical trades and manufacturing occupations.

$49,625 to Anoka-Ramsey Community College for a partnership with PE Services

PE Services, located in Eagan, delivers comprehensive civil engineering and construction services, including design and plan preparation, specification and plan review, construction oversight, and schedule analysis. The company also provides robust contract administration, project controls, and environmental compliance support. PE Services needs to train its workforce in AI as the company adopts AI-based tools to improve operational performance. In partnership with PE Services, Anoka-Ramsey Community College will develop a five-course training program totaling 48 training hours to be delivered in-person and on-site over a twelve-month period.

$49,000 to MN State Community & Technical College for a partnership with Alexandria Industries

Alexandria Industries designs and manufactures precision aluminum components. Partnering with Alexandria Industries, MN State Community & Technical college will provide customized training consisting of a 30-hour Serving Through Leadership Program for current and emerging leaders and a 15-hour Professional Development Program for employees across the organization. Training will strengthen leadership effectiveness, employee engagement, communication, professional development and organization culture, and be delivered through self-assessments, group discussions, reflection activities, team exercises, coaching conversations and real-world workplace applications. Participants completing training will receive certificates of completion.

$40,000 to Minnesota State University, Mankato for a partnership with Capstone

Capstone, headquartered in North Mankato, is an industry-leading publisher of children’s books and digital content provider for children and young adults. Capstone has identified AI as a key opportunity for increasing productivity, reducing manual work and accelerating workflows. MN State University, Mankato will provide AI training in two online courses: Foundations of AI Intelligence, 1.5 hours of interactive virtual delivery of key topics including ethical considerations, company policy and how to generate accurate and useful outputs, and Applied AI for Role- and Department-Specific Workflows, four hours of hands-on, role-specific training for integrating AI into daily workflows in content development, research, data analysis and communication.

Xcel explains cost protections, grid reliability as Monticello council presses for answers about proposed data center

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Monticello Times reports…

Will a massive data center drive up residents’ electric bills? Could its demand for power threaten reliability? And if electricity becomes scarce, who gets priority?

Those were among questions City Council members put to Xcel Energy representatives Oct. 12 during a special meeting examining the potential effects of the proposed data center development.

Xcel officials said state regulations and recently approved customer protections are designed to prevent large electricity users from shifting their costs to existing customers. They also emphasized projects of this size generally require new power generation and extensive infrastructure planning.

But while the utility sought to reassure council members, questions remained about the proposed Monticello development, including how electricity would be allocated during a major grid emergency.

City Administrator Rachel Leonard said the discussion was arranged to address recurring concerns about the proposed Edmonson Business Center campus south of 85th Street NE and east of Highway 25.

Other questions included:

  • Who pays for the power?
  • Does more demand mean more generation?
  • What happens during an emergency?
  • Could data centers lower electric bills?

The conversation (and study) is not completed…

Although Xcel officials discussed how large data centers are generally served, the electrical requirements for Monticello’s proposed development have not been finalized.

Andre said the project is in the facility study stage, which Xcel expects to complete by the end of 2026. The study will produce preliminary estimates of necessary infrastructure, costs and timelines.

Council member Charlotte Gabler questioned how Xcel could plan for the project when its eventual end user has not been publicly identified.

Andre explained that the utility begins with anticipated electricity demand supplied by the developer, using factors such as acreage, building plans, zoning requirements and experience with similar projects.

EVENT Nov 17: Brown County’s Board of Commissioners to talk about data centers

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The New Ulm Journal reports…

Brown County’s Board of Commissioners set a public hearing date of Nov. 17 at 9:02 a.m. to establish an interim ordinance that would put a moratorium on permitting, expanding, or establishing data centers in Brown County’s unincorporated areas.

The moratorium would place a one-year block of any data centers looking to be established in Brown County.

Commissioner Anton Berg said the meeting is not about whether people are in favor of data centers or not, but rather to establish documented plans for navigating any potential approaches regarding data centers in Brown County.

Brown County Administrator Sam Hasen said that because of the recent progressions in data centers, there are not many state statutes that address navigation of data center development.

“I think this is a good idea to put the brakes on for a minute and catch your breath and get ourselves lined up the way we should be,” Hansen said.

The board draft ordinance reads: “data centers are an emerging land use with significant impacts related to energy, demand, water consumption, noise, heat generation, stormwater management, and land use compatibility.”

Public hearing and documented plans would allow the board to better understand data center impacts specific to Brown County.

EVENT Nov 18: Faribault Council chats about data center ordinances (Rice County)

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Faribault Daily News reports...

Please plan to join us at Faribault Public Works (1200 Belview Trail) on Nov. 18 at 6 p.m. for a timely discussion about data center ordinances.

This Council Chat provides an opportunity for the public to interact with the City Council and City staff regarding the various proposed data center-related ordinances. Staff will have various stations focusing on key ordinances, such as land use, water and sewer, noise, lighting and other ordinances of interest. The public will gain a better understanding of the intent of the ordinances and why the ordinances must be legally defensible and enforceable.

The city holds Council Chats every month to further its commitment to community engagement. These inclusive and welcoming opportunities are held at various facilities and times to help ensure residents can become involved in the City’s continued success.

To see a full schedule of upcoming Council Chats, visit www.faribaultmn.gov/749/council-chats

More details on Hermantown City Council’s agreement for Googles proposed data center (St Louis County)

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WDIO reports…

The Hermantown City Council reviewed updates on the first-of-its-kind adaptive reuse and decommissioning framework for the proposed Google data center. Backed by a $210 million parent-company guarantee, the 50-year framework requires Google to restore the site if operations halt or tax payments lapse.

Explaining the financial backing behind this deal, city staff noted: “Effectively, this is a parent-company guarantee. Google will be signatory to this. Google will be part of this agreement. The finances of Google will be on the line for this agreement. And as such, they’re obligating $210 million for this agreement. And this obligation will increase annually based on the Consumer Price Index…”
…
To protect neighbors, the agreement leaves Google strictly at fault for any private well damage, requiring them to cover all repairs or pay to connect affected homes to city water. City leaders also shared details on a voluntary program for neighbors living within a half mile of the site.

Minnesota School Boards Association (and others) comments on FCC efforts to reduce E-Rate

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The 74 shares comments from educators on proposed changes to E-Rate, including a comment from Minnesota…

The Trump administration’s plan to revise, or potentially discontinue, broadband discounts for schools and libraries is overwhelmingly unpopular, judging by the thousands of comments submitted since August.

Pleas from school administrators, librarians and education advocates to protect E-Rate represent the majority of the statements to the Federal Communications Commission. In June, Chairman Brendan Carr called for “right-sizing” the program and linked concerns about children’s excessive screen time to the 30-year-old program. But the education sector emphasizes that the funding supports not only instruction, but also systems like security, payroll and nutrition.

“Before a student even enters a classroom, E-Rate helps provide the network infrastructure that keeps Minnesota’s school districts running,” wrote Kimberley Dunn Lewis, associate director of government relations for the Minnesota School Boards Association. “When that connectivity is unavailable or unreliable, it can disrupt basic school operations and compromise districts’ ability to safely and effectively serve students.”

Tech Buzz calls data center project in Pine Island a possible case study (Goodhue County)

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The Tech Buzz reports...

Google’s plans to build an AI data center in Pine Island, Minnesota have sparked controversy, with the tech giant claiming the project will add clean energy to the grid and protect ratepayers. However, local residents and energy experts are raising concerns about whether the promised grid infrastructure upgrades are actually needed or if they primarily serve Google’s interests.

The article goes on to tell more about the project and ends with a broader perspective…

As Google moves forward with its Pine Island data center plans, the project serves as a test case for how communities and regulators evaluate Big Tech infrastructure proposals. The skepticism from experts and residents highlights the need for transparent analysis of who benefits from such developments and whether promised grid improvements serve public or private interests. The outcome in Minnesota may influence how similar projects are assessed in other communities facing data center proposals.

EVENT: St. Cloud advances data center ordinance, public hearing scheduled for Nov. 16 (Stearns County)

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St Cloud Live reports…

 The St. Cloud City Council agreed without opposition to set a public hearing on a new ordinance that would place restrictions on new hyperscale data centers during its meeting on Monday night, Oct. 19.

The ordinance, if approved, would require all data centers to use the city’s water system and be at least 1,320 feet away from abutting road right-of-ways and residential-zoned properties as measured from property line to property line. Permits for data centers would require land use compatibility and traffic impact study, noise and vibration study, environmental impact study, and community impacts study.

Proposed data centers would also need to come with a decommissioning plan and confirmation that the project would include sustainable strategies in its design, water use and energy use.

The hearing, scheduled for Nov. 16, would give the public the chance to offer input on the policy before the city makes a final vote on whether to approve the ordinance.

Data centers come up in MN Gubernatorial Debate

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The Minnesota Star Tribune reports...

Amy Klobuchar and Lisa Demuth offered competing visions for Minnesota’s economy on Monday, debating how to lower costs, stop fraud, attract businesses and regulate the fast-growing artificial intelligence industry.

Data centers were on the agenda…

Both candidates for governor said local communities should have the power to approve or stop data centers in their hometowns. Klobuchar and Demuth have similar positions on the issue, generally supporting the construction of these large projects and opposing substantial new state regulations.

Demuth noted that the Legislature in 2025 passed a bill when she was House speaker — led initially by DFLers — aimed at protecting the state’s climate goals and preventing energy bills from rising because of the cost of data centers.

Klobuchar said she would support further restrictions on the use of nondisclosure agreements by data center companies. A bill to ban those NDAs was voted down by Republicans in a House committee last year, and Klobuchar blamed Demuth for the measure not advancing. Since that vote, on the campaign trail, Demuth has also called for a ban on NDAs for data centers.

[Added Oct 22, 2026)

A snippet from the debate from FOX9…

Could data centers help supplement USF?

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Broadband Breakfast reports…

A federal broadband subsidy program under financial duress could get bailed out by AI-related companies, as policymakers consider making major users of broadband infrastructure contribute to universal service.

Universal service reform could expand the pool of companies that help finance broadband networks to include hyperscalers, cloud providers and other major users of internet infrastructure, according to former FCC officials and broadband advocates.

EVENT Oct 23: Technology Advisory Council (TAC) Full Council Meeting

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From the Technology Advisory Council (TAC)…

Date:   October 23, 2026

Time:   8:30 – 11 a.m. CT

Location:   In-Person Meeting – 600 North Robert St., St. Paul, MN 55146 – email tac.mnit@state.mn.us for information on how to join the meeting.

The meeting with be of particular interest in you work for or with the State but it’s generally interesting even if you don’t.

EVENT Oct 22: Minnesota PUC looks at Google’s data-center power deal in Pine Island (Goodhue County)

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MLQ.ai reports…

Google’s proposed AI data center in Pine Island, Minnesota, is approaching a consequential utility proceeding with its electricity contract still contested and key financial details withheld from the public. The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission is scheduled to consider a motion on October 22, 2026, asking whether the case should receive contested-case treatment and whether Xcel Energy should remove or better justify confidential redactions. [3]

The commission is not scheduled to make a final decision on the electric-service agreement at that meeting. The agreement remains a proposal, even as Xcel and Google seek to advance the transmission and clean-energy projects that would support the facility.

Xcel filed the Electric Service Agreement on April 14, 2026, in PUC docket 26-170. The proposed contract would run for 15 years and use a Clean Energy Accelerator Charge to fund or recover costs associated with new clean-energy resources.