LETTER: Make Ephrata’s data center promise measurable

The Columbia Basin Herald’s Oct. 16 coverage of Ephrata development plans describes the proposed Salcido data center, which already has a 40-megawatt power commitment from the utility. As proposals proceed, residents need a way to distinguish measurable local benefits from optimistic forecasts.

The first question is what counts as a job. Construction employment lasts for a project; ongoing operations require a different number and set of skills. Economic development agreements should report both, with projected duration, wage ranges, hiring timelines and training opportunities, without pretending that every construction role becomes a permanent position.

Second, local training should build judgement. Data centers, aerospace suppliers and manufacturers increasingly use automation to monitor complex systems. An employer might demonstrate that a trainee can notice an abnormal equipment reading, check the source and decide when to alert a supervisor. Merely completing an AI software class would not show those abilities.

Third, the utility and developers should report assumptions clearly. Power commitments, potential rates and infrastructure costs deserve separate treatment. A 40-megawatt commitment does not by itself establish what residential customers will pay or what any facility ultimately consumes. Residents should be able to compare a forecast against actual results after a project opens.

The Herald’s Oct. 26 report on Stoke Space provides a useful contrast: it identifies concrete test-site expansion, engine testing and a planned first launch in 2027. Those are milestones the public can follow. Proposed data center developments deserve similarly specific public milestones, including operational jobs and training results.

None of these requests requires a town to oppose economic growth. They allow businesses and government to define success before spending decisions become hard to reverse.

Grant County has already made major bets on energy and advanced industry. A short, consistently updated public scorecard would help voters see which promises are being fulfilled and which need adjustment.

Gleb Tsipursky

Columbus, Ohio