Utility company leader tells audience that data centers will extend fossil fuel usage

By: Joshua Haiar

Outlets: South Dakota Searchlight

Published: February 10, 2026

Words: 937

Last Updated: 2 weeks, 6 days ago

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SIOUX FALLS — The rapid growth of electricity-hungry data centers will extend the life of existing fossil-fuel power plants and result in more being built, according to NorthWestern Energy President and CEO Brian Bird.

“So those folks against that are going to find everything they can to go after data centers,” he said.

Speaking Monday to the Downtown Sioux Falls Rotary Club, Bird acknowledged the potential environmental and climate-change impacts of data centers, but …

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