What Is The Metro Connector? The Metro Connector is a study that will explore options for light-rail and bus rapid transit to connect the communities of Cumberland, Central Falls, Pawtucket, Providenc...

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What Is The Metro Connector? The Metro Connector is a study that will explore options for light-rail and bus rapid transit to connect the communities of Cumb

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., March 24, 2025 — On-site natural gas generation offers a viable alternative to grid connections for power-hungry data centers, according to **Jim Summers** , CEO of GPC Infrastructure, who presented Feb. 24 at the MetroConnect conference here. Summers, with 35 years in the energy sector, said the growth of high-performance computing "is going to change the way we think about energy for the next decade," while noting that energy has weathered multiple transformative shifts throughout his career. "The explosive growth of hyperscale data centers is creating insatiable demand for power that will exceed the ability of utility providers to expand their capacity faster," Summers told attendees.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., March 24, 2025 — The data center landscape is undergoing a fundamental shift with power availability now dictating location decisions, forcing fiber providers to adapt with unprecedented long-haul infrastructure builds, industry leaders said Feb. 25 at the MetroConnect conference here. "It used to be the decision was made, 'Hey, I need to be somewhat near a fiber footprint.' Now it's 'Where's the power?' And then everyone else has to figure out how to get to me from there," said **A.J. Moul** , vice president of wholesale for Frontier Communications. **Arnab Ghosal** , vice president and chief operating officer of Southern Telecom, highlighted the scale of power demand fueling this transformation. His parent company, Southern Company, currently has 50,000 megawatts in its connection queue, with about 10,000 megawatts of "legit load" expected in the next five years. The panel, moderated by **Eli Scher** , Chairman of OIX Association, a self-regulating community formed to foster data center and internet exchange point technical and operating standards, described how data centers were previously built at intersections of existing fiber networks in major metropolitan areas. However, those locations have now exhausted available power capacity, pushing new developments into more remote areas where electricity is available but fiber infrastructure is lacking. "We've been dropping data centers in the metros where the long-haul fibers crisscrossed," said **Dan Davis** of Arcadian. "Well, we've sucked up all the power where the fiber crossroads are." This shift has extended project timelines dramatically. While building fiber to a data center within metropolitan areas might have taken 2 to 2.5 years, rural connections spanning hundreds of miles can now take 3 to 5 years to complete. The complexity comes not just from distance but from permitting challenges. Davis described a 693-mile project from Salt Lake City to Phoenix requiring 74 different permit processes across "two states, an independent sovereign Native American nation, five municipalities, six counties, BIA, BLM, DOD, National Park, National Forest — it just goes on and on." When asked about what drives customer decisions in selecting providers for these massive builds, panelists unanimously pointed to speed and certainty of delivery over cost considerations. "Speed, 100% speed," Ghosal said. "How quickly can you get infrastructure? How quickly can you get them going? And then money will follow that speed and certainty of delivery." **Ben Edmond** , CEO of ConnectBase, a platform for service providers to buy and sell connectivity globally, noted that this infrastructure shift is likely to create lasting changes to America's digital backbone, opening new connectivity options beyond the traditional data center hubs that have dominated for the past two decades. "We're building new networks. We're going to new places with new fiber that hasn't ever existed before," Edmond said. "I think we're going to see a massive shift in what the data center map in the United States looks like, and it's going to be a positive thing." The fiber being deployed is also changing dramatically in scale. Panelists noted that while 12 fibers was once considered high-count, new builds now routinely include 1,728 fibers, with some hyperscale customers requesting entire conduits with 432 or 864 fibers each. The industry faces challenges in financing these massive projects, with panelists describing different approaches to de-risking investments, including government funding, private capital structures, and customer-anchored funding models. Despite the frenzied building pace, panelists expressed confidence that current investments don't represent another fiber bubble like the early 2000s. They pointed to the legitimacy and financial strength of today's customers — primarily major technology companies with substantial balance sheets — compared to the speculative builds of the dot-com era. As AI workloads continue to evolve, hyperscalers are requiring not just more fiber routes but higher capacity and greater diversity, with data centers typically needing at least four unique entrances and diverse paths to the nearest metropolitan areas, further complicating the planning and execution of these critical infrastructure projects.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., March 24, 2025 — Investors and lenders are developing innovative financing structures to meet the unprecedented capital demands of the data center industry, according to financial experts speaking Feb. 25 at the MetroConnect conference here. "In 2024, we're seeing something like 6.7 gigawatts of data center demand, which is more than six times what it was in 2020," said **Kush Urs** , managing director of telecom and digital infrastructure investment banking at Guggenheim Partners. "We haven't seen this kind of growth ever in this sector, and the capital markets are still trying to rapidly get their head around how to finance all of this growth." The panel, moderated by **Sean McDevitt** , partner and head of USA telecom, media and technology practice at accounting firm Arthur D. Little, explored how capital markets are adapting to finance an industry transformation requiring billions in new investment.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., March 24, 2025 — While hyperscale data centers capture headlines with gigawatt-sized projects, mid-market data center operators are finding substantial growth opportunities serving enterprise artificial enterprise demands, according to industry leaders at the MetroConnect conference here on Feb. 24. "There's a real gap when you talk about demand in that 10 to 50 megawatt range," said **Scott Willis** of DartPoints. "We're all excited about it because there's a real opportunity to take advantage of that in the market." The panel, moderated by **Jim Grice** of Akerman, a law firm focused on how operators are adapting to power constraints and meeting the demands of evolving workloads driven by AI that require increased cooling density.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., March 24, 2025 — Industry leaders acknowledged a growing challenge in balancing surging power demands with environmental sustainability goals during a panel discussion at the MetroConnect conference here on Feb. 25. "The best we can do is to continue to do the best we can," said **Buddy Rizer** , executive director of economic development for Loudoun County, Virginia, home to the world's largest concentration of data centers. "We have to continue to do that, but it's really important to be honest and transparent." The panel, moderated by **Danielle Burt** of the law firm Morgan Lewis, highlighted the industry's struggles to meet exploding computing demands, particularly with the rise of artificial intelligence, while attempting to maintain environmental commitments. With U.S. data center power consumption potentially reaching 260 terawatts by 2026, the pressure to reduce emissions while expanding capacity has never been greater. **Loren Long** , director of sustainability at Digital Infrastructure Advisors, emphasized the stark differences between U.S. and European approaches to sustainability, noting that in Europe, environmental standards "are not a hope, not a wish, not a best effort—it's a regulatory mandate." The European Union's Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive requires data centers to report "gross emissions, not just claiming net zero," Long said. "You have to show the math, which I think is going to make some people uncomfortable." Several panelists pointed to the limitations of Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) as a solution. Long cited an example of a data center operator in Wales claiming to be "100% renewable" despite the region having minimal solar and wind infrastructure, with the claim based entirely on purchasing RECs. **Mike Nold** , vice president of corporate development and strategy for the Americas at Equinix, an infrastructure company providing data center and interconnection services, said his company has achieved 96% renewable energy coverage and remains committed to reaching 100% by the end of the decade, despite surging demand. Similarly, **Charley Daitch** from Rowan Digital Infrastructure stated their facilities are backed by 100% renewable energy, either from their portfolio or their customers'. The industry is exploring multiple approaches to sustainability, including low-carbon building materials, water conservation strategies, and on-site energy generation. Panelists discussed the potential role of natural gas as a transitional fuel, though acknowledging it remains carbon-based. "Is natural gas better than coal? Yes. Is it better than nuclear? No," Long said. Utility infrastructure emerged as a significant bottleneck, with panelists describing the interconnection queue for new power sources as "a nightmare." Traditional utilities accustomed to 1-2% annual growth are now facing demands for 20% increases in some regions. **Rahul Gill** , President of Truss Energy, highlighted the education gap that exists around energy alternatives: "I think one of the things key is that we don't manage our public relations that well," noting how misconceptions about energy solutions can derail progress with local stakeholders. Rizer highlighted Loudoun County's efforts to build a 230-kilovolt power ring around "Data Center Alley" and explore microgrid solutions, though he noted these infrastructure improvements often face community resistance. As the session concluded, the consensus was clear: The data center industry isn't currently achieving sustainability, but feels compelled to continue pursuing sustainability even as it faces looping power demands. "Nothing is going to get in the way of AI expanding and our need to meet the demand," Nold said. "The onus on us is to be as completely responsible as we possibly can."

Staff said the town secured about $13.6 million for various transportation and stormwater projects (design and construction grants), with an estimated $10.4 million funding gap for certain projects. Noted projects include Coastal Ridge Preserve negotiations, MetroConnect transit monitoring, and Lakes By The Bay stormwater funding.

Tacking a $3.75 fare onto what had been free MetroConnect rides while lopping off three zones in which the on-demand transit service has operated will reduce ridership 35%, a committee was told last w...