Ida County’s data center debate isn’t slowing down — and this week, residents took the conversation online as PathOne Data Centers tried to answer some of the biggest questions surrounding its early interest in the county.
Monday night’s hourlong webinar was the second public session PathOne has held, following last week’s packed in‑person meeting in Ida Grove, where more than 125 residents pressed PathOne on water use, noise, safety and long‑term impacts. Another in‑person meeting is set for 5:30-7:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 24, at the Arthur Community Center.
PathOne is exploring two industrial‑zoned sites in Ida County — one near Galva and one near Arthur — and company leaders confirmed they’re also evaluating potential sites in nearby Sioux County, though no official proposal has been submitted anywhere. The Ida County Board of Supervisors has repeatedly emphasized that the county’s data center moratorium — enacted June 30 — remains in place. The pause is meant to give the county time to learn before any project can be considered.
The webinar focused heavily on definitions, scale and misconceptions. Founding Partner and Co-Owner Gyles Uhlenhopp told viewers the company wants everyone speaking the same language before discussing any potential project.
Uhlenhopp spent much of the session distinguishing PathOne’s “edge‑style” facilities — built in 10‑megawatt increments — from the massive hyperscale centers that have drawn scrutiny across Iowa. He used an analogy to explain the difference.
He said PathOne’s facilities fall into the smallest category and rely on a patented closed‑loop cooling system that uses far less water than evaporative systems. The company again emphasized that it would only pursue sites already zoned industrial — not farmland — and that both potential Ida County locations have unused electrical capacity left behind by former ethanol and Bitcoin operations.
Safety questions dominated part of the webinar, including concerns about proximity to POET in Arthur. Uhlenhopp said the proposed site sits on the opposite side of the ethanol plant and noted that a previous Bitcoin operation ran there without many residents realizing it. He also described the company’s fire‑suppression system, which seals data halls and removes oxygen if alarms escalate.
Uhlenhopp stressed the company’s philosophy.
The company also promoted its proposed Community Advisory Council, saying it wants skeptical residents involved early.
As questions continued, Uhlenhopp urged residents to stay engaged with county supervisors as they draft Ida County’s first‑ever data center regulations.
PathOne says it will publish written answers to questions raised so far and hopes residents attend Monday night’s in‑person meeting in Arthur.
