Project Delta: Proposed Data Centers in Stokes County (UPDATES BELOW)
Project Delta is a data center complex proposed by Engineered Land Solutions.
Where would it be? 1800 acres of land on the Dan River, where highway 311 crosses the Dan. Property next to Belews Creek coal plant.
Developer’s website on this project: projectdeltanc.com
Why are Stokes County residents concerned?
- This data center is a threat to local history and heritage, it would be on land that was Upper Saura Town and that has a historic home of the Hairston family.
- The Saura site is also culturally relevant to the Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation.
- This data center is SPECULATIVE there is no tech company lined up to buy or use this data center, no guarantee this investment pans out. Many economists are warning of an AI bubble, what happens to this project if the bubble pops before they are through?
- The data center would run on methane gas generators while they wait in line to connect to Duke Energy’s grid… unclear how long! Generators are loud and pollute the air.
- Data centers don’t employ many people long term and are one reason electric bills are rising 2x faster than inflation.
- This data center would be on the banks of the Dan River, construction could cause pollution of the Dan.
- This data center does not align with the Stokes County 2035 Land Use Plan, which designates this area for low-density residential use and conservation, not large-scale industrial development. (pg. 81)
What are local residents asking Stokes County Commissioners to do?
- Deny the rezoning request for Project Delta Data Center!
- A moratorium on data centers of at least 1 year in Stokes County. This would give the county time to study their impacts and have strong public engagement on whether data centers fit with the 2035 Land Use Plan and character of Stokes County.
- Partnership with community members and DFC Stokes LLC to come together on a more stable and sustainable use for the land currently under consideration for rezoning. This land is important to Stokes County’s history, the Saura People, the Hairston and Sally Blagg descendants, and for protecting the Dan River.
Upcoming Events: June 13 Community Meeting & June 15 STOKES COUNTY PLANNING BOARD SPECIAL MEETING TO DISCUSS DATA CENTERS
Stokes Community members will be meeting this Saturday (June 13) at 2pm to discuss ongoing strategies to oppose the Project Delta Data Center.
Meeting Details:
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June 13, 2026
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Walnut Cove Public Library (106 5th St, Walnut Cove, NC 27052)
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2pm-3:30pm
The June 15 Planning Board meeting aimed to discuss how future data centers will be regulated in Stokes has been canceled. The rescheduled date will be shared here once it’s been updated. See full announcement here’
Purpose: The Stokes Planning Board is considering a zoning text amendment that will determine how future data centers are regulated in Stokes County. The planning board will make a recommendation to the Board of Commissioners, who will then make a final decision. This meeting will not be a vote on the Project Delta proposal, to our knowledge. However, it’s crucial and encouraged to attend and make a public comment to voice your concerns. Below are some general talking points/asks:
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Ask planning board to suggest a temporary data center moratorium to the BOC before allowing new data center development
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This will give time to study the impacts on data centers and develop appropriate regulations
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Require complete information before approvals
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County officials and residents need to know a project’s size, power demand, water use, impacts, and infrastructure needs before decisions are made.
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Data centers are not ordinary development
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Modern data centers have major impacts on the power grid, water, noise, lighting, infrastructure, and emergency services
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Industrial projects of this scale require special rules.
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If you’re interested in being part of a Stokes core group, email Erika at erika@cwfnc.org
Spread the Word!
Resources to educate your neighbors:
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- Flyer with talking points: Stokes Data Center Project Delta Handout (1)
- Data Center Buffer map to show distance around the perimeter of land parcels: Stokes Data Center Buffer Map
- Stokes County Economic Action Plan
- Stokes County 2035 Vision Plan
Share information on social media:
- Local Facebook group: Stokes County Character Preservation
- FB Event page for June 13 community meeting
- FB Event Page for June 15 Planning Board Public Hearing
Comments(2)
Wanda Wall says:
December 20, 2025 at 10:46 amTotally against
Mike Hobert says:
December 24, 2025 at 5:43 pmWhere can I find a detailed map of the proposed development area?