New Jersey AI data center hit with record $1.07M penalty over 62 gas generators

New Jersey has imposed a record $1.07 million penalty on DataOne after inspectors found 62 large natural-gas generators installed and operating without required air-pollution permits at the company’s massive artificial intelligence data center in Vineland. The state Department of Environmental Protection discovered the generators during a July 29 inspection and said each unit had a capacity of 1,982 kilowatts. Reports from 6abc and The Sun Papers describe the penalty as the largest enforcement action against a data center in New Jersey. Together, the generators represent nearly 123 megawatts of potential power generation, making the case significant as AI facilities expand and demand large backup or temporary energy systems. DataOne has disputed the state’s findings but said it would apply for the required permits while moving towards a lower-emission fuel-cell system.What the inspection uncoveredThe New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection inspected the DataOne site in Vineland on July 29. During the visit, officials found 62 stationary natural-gas generators installed and operating at the facility.The generators were not small household backup units. Each one had a rated...