Bill > S3379

This bill requires owners and operators of data centers, defined as facilities primarily for storing, managing, and processing digital data and housing computer systems, to submit semi-annual reports on their water and energy usage to the Board of Public Utilities (BPU). These reports must include basic data center information, total energy consumption in kilowatt hours, details about electricity providers and on-site power supplies, information on information technology equipment energy use, total and peak daily water input in cubic meters, and the source of that water, specifying whether it comes from a public water system, groundwater, or surface water, and if it's potable or reclaimed. If a data center receives financial incentives from the state, it must also report performance indicators like energy reuse factor, power usage effectiveness, renewable energy factor, and water usage effectiveness, along with sustainability indicators such as IT equipment intake air temperature and waste heat temperature. The BPU will publish the submitted information on its website, with performance and sustainability data being confidential unless anonymized and aggregated. Data centers must also notify the BPU of any significant operational changes that would affect their reports at least 60 days in advance. The reporting requirement will initially last for three years, after which the BPU will decide whether to make it permanent.