THIS PROGRAM IS MADE BY MPT TO ENRICH THE DIVERSE COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT OUR STATE AND IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE GENEROUS SUPPORT OF OUR MEMBERS.

THANK YOU.

CLOSED CAPTIONING HAS BEEN MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY MARYLAND RELAY, EMPOWERING THOSE WHO ARE DEAF, HARD OF HEARING OR SPEECH DISABLED TO STAY CONNECTED BY PHONE.

[♪♪] CONNECTING MARYLANDERS TO THEIR GOVERNMENT, THIS IS "STATE CIRCLE".

>> Jeff: WELCOME TO "STATE CIRCLE".

COMING UP UP ON OUR PROGRAM WE WILL TAKE YOU INSIDE THE WORLD OF THE BIGGEST, BADDEST DATA CENTERS.

THE NEWS THAT FEDERAL INCH INSPECTORS MAYBE ON-SITE MAYBE RAISING ALARMS.

THERE'S MORE TO THE STORY AS NANCY YAMADA REPORTS.

>> WE HAVE ALWAYS COMPLIED WITH THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT AND FEDERAL AND STATE LAW THAT IS WHY THIS IS A LOW KEY ALMOST LIKE A NOTHING BURGER EVENT.

>> STATE ADMINISTRATOR OF ELECTIONS JARED KUSHNER SAID THERE IS NO NEED TO BE ALARMED ABOUT THE PLANS TO SEND ELECTION MON MONITORS FOR EVERY STATE INCLUDING MARYLAND THEY WILL BE OBSERVING POLLING PLACES IN PRINCE GEORGE'S ON ELECTION DAY.

>> THE COMPLIANCE WITH THE MINORITY PROVISIONS OF THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT AND THEY HAVE DONE THIS IN THE PAST THEY ARE THERE ONLY TO OBSERVE AND TAKE NOTES.

>> DED OJ MONITOR TOSES SENT.

>> IS IT REQUIRES FEDERAL LAW IF A POPULATION HAS A MINORITY SPEAKING POPULATION, THAT THE BALLOTS BE BILINGUAL.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY AND PRINCE GEORGE'S ARE TWO OF THREE COUNTIES.

WHEN YOU GO YOU WILL SEE A BALLOT THAT IS BILINGUAL.

>> HE WANTS CITIZENS TO BE AWARE OF THE MONITORS GIVEN THE ANXIETY THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP MIGHT BE PUSHING TO INFLUENCE ELECTIONS OR RETALIATE AGAINST THE STATE FOR POLICIES HE DOES HE AAPPROVE OF.

>> HOPEFULLY THIS WILL BE SOMETHING A VOTER CAN BE LIKE OKAY THE STATE BOARD IS AWARE OF IT, WE'RE MONITORING THE SITUATION WITH THEM.

AND THAT THEY GO AND VOTE IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT, WITHOUT FEAR OF THREATS, INTIMIDATION, YOU KNOW, OR HARASSMENT.

>> WHEN VOTERS IN PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY THEY WON'T NOTICE THE FEDERAL MONITORS.

>> THEY WILL NOT WEAR ANY DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE IDENTIFIERS OR UNIFORMS.

THEY ARE PROHIBITED FROM COMMUNICATING WITH ANY VOTERS INSIDE THE POLLING PLACE.

>> HE ANTICIPATES AN UNEVENTFUL ELECTION DAY AND ENCOURAGES EVERY ONE TO HEAD TO THE POLLS.

>> GET THE I VOTED STICKER AND GO HOME WATCH THE RESULTS AND SEE WHERE THE FUTURE OF MARYLAND WILL GO.

>> I'M NANCY YAMADA FOR "STATE CIRCLE".

>> Jeff: AMERICAN POLITICS IS NEVER MORE DIVIDED IN THE DAYS RIGHT BEFORE AN ELECTION BUT THERE IS LITTLE DIVISION ABOUT DATA CENTERS.

THEY WERE PRIZED FOR EXPANDING THE TAXBATION, BUT NOW THE INDUSTRY IS SEEN AS A VILLAIN FOR DRIVING UP ELECTRICITY PRICE.

WE HAD A CHANCE TO SPEAK ABOUT IT WITH THE WORLD'S BIGGEST OPERATOR OF DATA CENTERS.

[♪♪] OUR NEWSMAKER IS JOSH WEISSMAN VICE-PRESIDENT AT AMAZON WEB SERVICES.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> PEOPLE AWS IS THE BIGGEST PART OF AMAZON HE APROFITS IT IS NOT THE TRUCKS WITH PACKAGES.

YOU HAD GUYS WITH DATA CENTERS YOU ARE AMOUNT OVER NORTHERN VIRGINIA YOU HAVE A SITE IN FREDERICK COUNTY MARYLAND.

WHAT GOES IN THIS BUILDINGS?

TENS OF THOUSANDS OF COMPUTERS HUMMING AWAY?

>> YOU GOT IT.

NO DIFFERENT THAN WHEN YOU ARE BUYING A COMPUTER FOR YOUR HOME YOU HAVE SO MANY OPTIONS IT CAN BE OVERWHELMING AT TIMES BUT EVERY COMPUTER SERVES A DIFFERENT PURPOSE IF YOU ARE DOING HEAVY ENGINEERING YOU WOULD BUY A DIFFERENT ONE.

WE HAVE HUNDREDS OF TYPES OF COMPUTERS THAT OUR CUSTOMERS RENT FROM US THAT IS THE CLOUD THEY RENT COMPUTERS FROM US RATHER THAN THEM SPENDING THAT MONEY TO BUILD THEIR OWN INFRASTRUCTURE WE BUILD IT AND THEY RENT IT, THEY RENT THE COMPUTERS THEY NEED TO EXPAND, RUN, BUILD AND RUN THEIR BUSINESS CUSTOMERS LIKE SCHOOLS, AND HOSPITALS, TELEHEALTH MEDICINE STREAMING TV, SECURITY CAMERAS RUN WITHIN OUR DATA CENTERS.

>> Jeff: SOMEHOW THE FACILITIES WERE EXTREMELY DESIRABLE A COUPLE YEARS AGO FOR GOVERNMENT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OFFICIALS AND NOW THEY'VE BECOME TOXIC DUE TO CONCERNS ABOUT POWER USAGE RISING UTILITY BILLS, WATER USE MAYBE, NOISE.

WHAT IS YOUR SIDE OF THAT?

>> I THINK TOXIC MAYBE A STRONG WORD.

BUT THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION AROUND DATA CENTERS.

AND A LOT OF IT IS JUST BASED ON MISINFORMATION AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE IT'S COMING FROM R LET'S PICK ON WATER FOR A MINUTE.

I GO ON-LINE QUITE A BIT, ANOTHERS DO TOO AND YOU SEE THE SHOCKING NUMBERS LIKE A DATA CENTER WILL CONSUME TWO MILLION TO FIVE MILLION GALLONS OF WATER PER DAY THAT IS THE COMMON ONE I SEE.

LET'S TALK ABOUT THE REALITY OF THE AWS DATA CENTERS IN THE VIRGINIA OR MARYLAND AREA AND THE WASHINGTON WASHINGTON D.C.

.

OUR DATA CENTERS USE ZERO WATER 96% OF THE YEAR.

LET ME TRANSLATE FOR YOU.

THE AMAZON DATA CENTERS USE APPROXIMATELY A MILLION GALLONS OF WATER PER YEAR.

YOU LOOK AT THE SHOCKING NUMBER OF TWO TO FIVE MILLION A DAY COMPARED TO ONE MILLION PER YEAR IT'S SHOCKING.

WE'VE SPENT YEARS PERFECTING THE TECHNOLOGY AND BETWEEN I LIVE IN LOUDOUN COUNTY I'M NOT SPEAKING ABOUT A LOCATION I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH, FOR THOSE IN THE AREA IT'S COOL BETWEEN THE MONTHS OF SEPTEMBER TO CALL IT APRIL.

DURING THOSE MONTHS, ZERO WATER.

OUR DATA CENTERS WE HAVE TO TURN OFF THE WATER.

ON THE HOTTEST HOURS OF THE HOTTEST DAYS WE INJECT WATER INTO THE AIR TO KEEP THE SERVERS COOL AND HOW WE KEEP OUR WATER USAGE AS WE DO.

>> Jeff: A COUPLE QUESTIONS.

HOW MUCH OF THE DEMAND OF WHAT YOU ARE ADDING CAPACITY FOR NOW IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AS OPPOSED TO STREAMING VIDEOS?

>> IT'S REALLY HARD TO SEPARATE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE DEMAND AND STREAMING VIDEOS.

LET ME EXPLAIN WHY.

LET'S SAY THAT YOU ARE A HOSPITAL.

WHICH IS A VERY REAL AND RELEVANT EXTERNAL CUSTOMER OF AMAZON.

YOU RUN YOUR BILLING ON AMAZON WEB SERVICES AND YOU USE YOUR CUSTOMER INTAKE.

AND THEN YOU ALSO RUN YOUR BACK END ALLED IMAGES THAT ARE TAKEN THROUGH AN MRI OR X RAY.

THEN YOU BRING IN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TO READ THOSE X RAYS, TO READ THE MRI'S TO HELP THE DOCTOR HELP THEM MAKE A DECISION OR HELP THEM IDENTIFY THINGS THAT MAYBE WERE UNIDENTIFIABLE THROUGH THE HOW MANY EYES.

THAT IS A COMBINATION OF US GROWING WHAT WE CALL OUR CORE BUSINESS, WHICH IS THE NON-A.I.

BUSINESS AND OUR A.I.

BUSINESS.

TEASING THOSE TWO APART WHAT WE ARE SEE SOMETHING THAT AS CUSTOMERS CONTINUE TO ADOPT A.I., IT IS ALSO BRINGING HOLDING ON TO THE CORE BUSINESS AND JUST USING A.I.

TO SORT OF HELP THEM DO THINGS THAT PREVIOUSLY WERE UNABLE TO DO.

>> Jeff: I GUESS WHAT I WONDER IS WHETHER THE A.I.

COMPONENT FEEDS TO BE NEAR POPULATION CENTERS IF THERE'S ANY ADVANTAGE TO BEING CLOSE BY, BECAUSE IF YOU ARE STREAMING VIDEO IT IS A TON OF DATA TRANSMISSION.

THE A.I.

STUFF IS MOSTLY COMPUTATION WITH A LOT LESS TRANSMISSION.

COULDN'T THESE THING BE IN THE MIDDLE.

NO WAY, WAY UP NORTH WHERE THE THERE'S NO AIR-CONDITIONING.

IF YOU OPEN A WINDOW.

>> THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION.

THERE'S TWO COMPONENTS OF A.I.

THE TRAINING THE COMPUTATION AND THE INFERENCE.

WHICH IS WHEN YOU USE A.I.

TO PERFORM A TAX OR READ AN X RAY.

AND WE DO LOOK AT PLACES THAT ARE FURTHER AWAY FROM POPULATION CENTERS.

BUT WHAT WE HAVE TO CONSIDER IS NOT JUST AVAILABLE LAND, BUT THERE NEEDS TO BE A FIBER INFRASTRUCTURE.

AND THERE NEEDS TO BE I DID MENTION WATER WE STILL NEED FIBER INFRASTRUCTURE, WATER INFRASTRUCTURE, AND ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE.

AND THE FURTHER YOU GO AWAY FROM THE POPULATION CENTERS, THE HARDER IT IS TO GET THOSE PUBLIC UTILITIES DELIVERED TO YOU.

WE HAVE.

YOU LOOK AT AND I DON'T WANT TO CALL IT NOT POPULATION CENTERS BUT THERE ARE COMMUNITIES NEAR US.

BUT WE HAVE GONE TO PLACES IN TEXAS, AWAY FROM COMMUNITIES.

AND WE HAVE WE ARE DEVELOPING AN INDIANA THAT ARE NEAR COMMUNITIES BUT NOT IN THE MIDDLE OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA WHERE WE OPERATE TODAY.

WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPAND INTO PLACES WHERE WE ARE NOT ONLY WELCOME AND THE DEVELOPMENT IS WANTED, BUT WHERE GOOD TECHNOLOGY AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE ARE SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT THAT WE NEED TO DO.

>> Jeff: TELL US ABOUT THE NEW 20-YEAR AGREEMENT WITH THE CALVERT CLIFFS NUCLEAR POWER PLANT.

>> THAT IS A NON-DATA CENTER AGREEMENT MEANING WE ARE NOT BUILDING DATA CENTERS AROUND THAT CAMPUS AND ANYWHERE NEAR IT.

THAT REALLY IS PART OF OUR COMMITTMENT TO BRING CLEAN ENERGY INTO THE GRID WHICH BENEFITS EVERYONE.

AND WE HAVE SIGNED THIS 20-YEAR DEAL FOR 190 MEGAWATTS IT'S ABOUT A $3 BILLION INVESTMENT.

AND THAT REALLY IS BUILDING CLEAN ENERGY INTO THE GRID INTO THE PJM TRANSMISSION SYSTEM AND THAT IS EQUIVALENT TO 147,000 HOMES OF ENERGY CLEAN ENERGY.

>> Jeff: DOES THAT MEAN THERE'S GOING TO BE LESS ELECTRICITY COMING OUT OF CALVERT CLIFFS FOR HOMES AND OTHER BUSINESSES AND THE GRID IN GENERAL?

>> THE OPPOSITE.

THAT ENERGY THAT IS GG INTO THE GRID IS FOR ANY CONSUMER OF GRID UTILITY COMPUTE.

SO IT'S BEING PUMPED INTO THE PJM GRID AND THEY ALLOCATE THOSE ELECTRONS TO RESIDENTIAL BUSINESSES ALL PAYING CUSTOMERS.

>> Jeff: THE OTHER RAP AGAINST DATA CENTERS THAT YOU HEAR ON THE ECONOMIC SIDE IS THAT THERE IS A HUGE CONSTRUCTION SPENDING BUT AFTER THAT, THAT THEY DON'T ACTUALLY EMPLOY THAT MANY PEOPLE THE COMPUTERS JUST RUN.

>> I HEAR THAT TOO.

WE OFTEN TALK ABOUT DIRECT JOBS AND THE FOLKS THAT WORK WITHIN OUR DATA CENTERS AND ALL THE INDIRECT JOBS THAT GET CREATED AND I WILL BREAK IT DOWN.

HARD DRIVES FAIL ON OUR COMPUTERS AND SERVERS AND FOLKS ARE DELIVERING HARD DRIVES TO REPLACE.

AND WE HAVE LAWN MAINTENANCE AND WE HAVE TO CHANGE FILTERS AND RETERMINATE FIBER AND EVERY COUPLE OF YEARS WE GO THROUGH A RENOVATION OF THE DATA CENTER.

ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I GET ARE THESE GOING TO BE OBSOLETE IN A COUPLE OF YEARS?

NO AS TECHNOLOGY CHANGES WE GO BACK IN AND RENOVATE THEM AND BRING LIQUID COOLING IN.

WE ADD LEVELS OF CABLE TO SUPPORT DENSER COMPUTERS THAT REQUIRE MORE FIBER.

IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT ABOUT THE FOLKS AT THAT TIME MAINTAIN.

IT'S ALSO THE ECOSYSTEM THAT GETS CREATED AROUND THAT TO KEEP THEM UP TO THE LATEST GENERATION AND MAINTAIN THE DATA CENTERS AND KEEP THEM OPERATING.

>> Jeff: JOSH WEISSMAN OF AMAZON WEB SERVICES.

THANK YOU.

>> I APPRECIATE IT.

>> Jeff: WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK.

>> Jeff: ON THE SUBJECT OF THE OVERWORKED POWER GRID WE SPOKE WITH EVAN VAUGHN, EXECUTIVE SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR OF MAREC ACTION WHICH ADVOCATES FOR MORE RENEWABLE ENERGY.

PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION HAS TAKEN ACTION ON BATTERY STORAGE.

WHEN WE GET INTO THE DETAILS OF THAT.

FIRST TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR GROUP AND THEN WHY BATTERIES ARE KIND OF THE WAVE OF THE FUTURE?

>> YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

MY ORGANIZATION WE ARE A 501C NONPROFIT AND REPRESENT LARGE SCALE STORAGE WIND, AND MANUFACTURERS THAT ARE ACTIVE IN MARYLAND AND ACROSS THE PJM GRID THE 13-STATE ELECTRICITY GRID THAT MARYLAND IS A PART OF.

>> Jeff: AND THE IMPORTANCE OF BATTERIES WHEN WE THINK ABOUT RENEWABLE, WHEN WE THINK OF RENEWABLE WE THINK OF SOLAR AND SOMETIMES THE WIND STOPS BLOWING YOU NEED A WAY TO CAPTURE THAT ELECTRICITY?

>> THAT IS RIGHT.

AND THAT IS WHAT A BATTERY PROVIDES FOR THE LARGER ELECTRIC GRID.

JUST TO HELP FOLKS WHO MAY THAT BE FAMILIAR UNDERSTAND HOW THE AT ANY TIME WORKS, REALLY THESE BATTERIES ARE A SUPER SIZED VERSION OF THE BATTERY YOU HAVE IN YOUR CELLPHONE OR A BATTERY IN AN ELECTRIC CAR.

AND THE DIFFERENCE IS INSED OF POWERING YOUR DEVICE IT IS CONNECTED TO THE ELECTRIC GRID AND CAN HELP TO POWER YOUR HOME, BUSINESSES FACTORIES AND SO ON.

YOU THINK ABOUT THE ROLE THAT BATTERY STORAGE PLAYS IN THAT ELECTRIC GRID IT IS A COMPLICATED MACHINE.

IT IS TRUE THAT SOMETIMES THE SUN IS NOT SHINING AND SOMETIMES THE WIND IS NOT BLOWING BUT NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS HAVE TO GO DOWN FOR MAINTENANCE OR THE FUEL IS DISRUPTED.

NO MATTER THE RESOURCE ON THE GRID THERE IS A ROLE FOR BATTERY STORAGE TO FILL IN THE GAPS.

LIKE A SHOCK ABSORBER FOR THE ELECTRIC GRID.

AT A TIME LUKE A HOT SUMMER AFTERNOON EVERYBODY'S CRANKING UP AIR-CONDITIONERS AND THE POWER PLANTS CANNOT REACT FAST ENOUGH A BATTERY CAN TAKE CHEAP ELECTRICITY THAT IT MAY HAVE CHARGED OVERNIGHT AND PUT IT OUT ON THE GRID WHICH HELPS TO LOWER PRICES FOR EVERYBODY AND OBVIOUSLY IMPORTANTLY KEEPS OUR AIR-CONDITIONERS ON SO WE ARE NOT SWEATING.

>> Jeff: WHAT IS IT THAT THE MARYLAND PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION, THE UTILITY REGULATOR HAS NOW DONE?

>> NOTABLY, THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION JUST APPROVED 440 MEGAWATTS OF NEW LARGE SCALE BATTERY STORAGE PROJECTS, WHOI PROJECTS ONE IS 400 MEGAWATTS AND ONE IS 40 MEGAWATTS.

WHAT IS A MEGAWATT?

YOUR VIEWERS CAN THINK OF A THOUSAND MEGAWATTS IS THE POWER OF A NUCLEAR POWER PLANT.

THESE ARE BIG BATTERIES AND CAN SERVE CUSTOMERS AT THE SCALE OF A CITY OR COUNTY NOT THE SCALE OF A HOME OR A BUSINESS.

THIS IS A BIG STEP FORWARD FOR MARYLAND BY SELECTING THESE PROJECTS.

THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION HAS IMPLEMENTED NOW WHAT WAS PAST TWO YEARS AGO AND THE NEXT GENERATION ENERGY ACT AND SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR AND THIS BILL WAS DESIGNED TO STABILIZE ELECTRICITY RATES FOR CONSUMERS.

FOLKS ARE HURTING I AAM A MARYLAND RATEPAYER MY BILL HAS GONE UP TOO AND PART OF THE REASON THERE IS A SUPPLY-DEMAND IMBALANCE ON OUR ELECTRIC GRID THERE'S TOO MUCH DEMAND NOT ENOUGH SUPPLY AND THE BATTERIES CAN EVEN THAT OUT TO STABILIZE FOLKS' ELECTRICITY RATES OVER TIME.

THIS PROGRAM FROM THE PSC WE WERE EXCITED TO SEE IT COME TO FRUITION AND THERE'S MORE TO COME.

NEXT YEAR WILL BE ANOTHER PROCUREMENT FOR 100 MEGAWATTS OF BATTERIES.

SOMEBODY THAT REPRESENTS THE COMPANIES IT'S REWARDING TO SEE THIS PROGRAM COME TO PASS AND I THINK ULTIMATELY, THE REAL BENEFICIARIES WILL BE THE MARYLAND RATEPAYERS AT THE END OF THE DAY.

>> Jeff: HOW IS THAT?

WE WILL BE SPENDING MONEY EITHER DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ON THESE PLANTS, AND IT'S NOT LIKE THEY GENERATED THE POWER.

IT'S SORTED OF AN EXPENSE TO MOVE THE POWER FROM WHEN YOU HAVE TOO MUCH OF IT TO WHEN YOU NEED IT.

>> THAT IS A GOOD WAY TO THINK ABOUT IT.

WHAT MAKES UP OUR GRID IS MOSTLY TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION LINES THE POLES WE ARE FAMILIAR WITH.

THE BATTERIES ARE A WAY TO MOVE ELECTRICITY THROUGH TIME NOT SPACE LIKE THE POLES AND WIRES DO.

THE WAY IT SAVES CONSUMERS MONEY IS TWO-FOLD.

ONE YOU CAN MOVE CHEAP ELECTRICITY FROM FOR EXAMPLE THE EVENING HOURS EARLY IN THE MORNING WHEN THERE'S NOT A LOT OF DEMAND ON THE GRID.

INTUITIVELY YOU CAN BUY LOW AND SELL HIGH AND THAT HELPS TO EVEN OUT PRICES FOR CONSUMERS.

ANOTHER WAY IT SAVES MONEY IS BY DISPLACING PEAKER POWER PLANTS.

MAYBE A DIESEL GENERATOR OR A GAS POWER PLANT THAT HAS TO COME ON-LINE TO MEET UNEXPECTED DEMAND LIKE THE HOT SUMMER AFTERNOON.

IF YOU HAVE A BATTERY YOU ARE ABLE TO USE THAT CHEAP ELECTRICITY YOU ARE HAVING TO PAY FOR MORE NATURAL GAS OR DIESEL FUEL AND THAT HAS A FUEL SAVINGS FOR EVERYBODY.

LESS OF THAT FEEL WE'RE USING ULTIMATELY THE PRICE COMES DOWN AND THAT ALSO IS A SAVINGS FOR CONSUMERS.

>> Jeff: ARE THERE BIG UTILITY SCALE BATTERY FACILITIES OPERATING ELSEWHERE IN THE UNITED STATES?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

IN SOME WAYS, THE PJM REGION THE MID-ATLANTIC REASON REGION IS TRAIL RELIGION OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY, BOTH CALIFORNIA AND TEXAS HAVE OVER 10 GIGA WATTS IT IS A THOUSAND MEGAWATTS.

AND YOU MIGHT RECALL, TEXAS HAD REALLY SERIOUS RELIABILITY ISSUES A FEW WINTERS AGO THAT LIGHTINGS WENT OUT AND PEOPLE WERE FREEZING NOW THE BATTERIES ON-LINE IN TEXAS THE RELIABILITY OF THE GRID HAS GONE UP TO THE POINT WHERE THEY ARE NOT HAVING THOSE CONCERNS.

WE'VE SEEN THESE RESOURCES BEING EFFECTIVE AT DOING THE JOB WHICH IS KEEPING THE GRID RELIABLE AND CAPTURING LOW COST ENERGY AND DEPLOY TO GO WHEN NEEDED.

>> Jeff: HOW ABOUT COMMUNITY INPUT FROM ONE OF THESE FACILITIES IT LOOKS BIG AND TECHNICAL LOOKING AND IF A NEIGHBORHOOD IS GOING TO GET ONE OF THESE OR A DATA CENTER, WHICH ONE WOULD YOU PICK?

>> I WOULDN'T PICK A BATTERY, BUT I'M BIAS.

I'M GLAD YOU MENTIONED DATA CENTERS AND I WILL TALK ABOUT THE IMPACTS.

ONE THING THAT IS IMPORTANT FOR YOUR VIEWERS TO KNOW IS MARYLAND NEEDS THIS KIND OF DISPATCHABLE ELECTRICITY GENERATING CAPACITY LIKE A BATTERY EVEN WITHOUT DATA CENTERS.

DATA CENTERS ARE DRIVING A LOT OF THE DEMAND FOR THESE RESOURCES.

BUT IF YOU TOOK DATA CENTERS AND PUT THEM ASIDE AND WE DIDN'T BUILD ANOTHER DATA CENTER THERE WOULD BE A LEVEL OF NEED FOR THESE BATTERIES, BECAUSE THE OVERALL GRID HAS NOT BEEN ADDING NEW RESOURCES AS QUICKLY AS IT'S BEEN RETIRING RESOURCES.

I THINK THERE IS SOMETIMES A WANT TO ASSOCIATE BATTERIES OR NEW POWER PLANTS WITH DATA CENTERS AND THERE'S SOME TRUTH TO THAT BUT THERE IS A NEED WITHOUT IT.

AS FAR AS THE IMPACTS GO THAT YOU MENTIONED, BATTERIES ARE SIMILAR TO ANOTHER POWER INFRASTRUCTURE YOU MIGHT SEE LIKE A TRANSFORMER OR A SUBSTATION.

YOU DON'T WANT TO BE RIGHT NEXT TO THEM BUT IF THERE IS A FENCE A BUFFER, YOU HAVE AN APPROPRIATE SETBACK WHICH THE PROJECTS ARE DESIGNED TO HAVE 100 FOOT OR MORE BUFFERS AROUND THEM.

YOU ARE QUITE SAFE.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT COMES UP ARE FIRES A CONCERN?

BATTERY FIRES HAVE GOTTEN MUCH LESS PREVALENT THAN WHEN THE TECHNOLOGY FIRST DEBUTED.

IF YOU LOOK AT A CHART AS MORE BATTERIES HAVE BEEN DEPLOYED THE RATE OF INCIDENTS HAS GONE DOWN.

AND ONE OF THE THING THE LEGISLATURE DID THEY REQUIRE EVERY BATTERY FACILITY HAS TO FOLLOW THE MOST UP-TO-DATE THE FIRE SAFETY STANDARDS, IMPLEMENTED BY THE FIRE PROTECTION ASSOCIATION THOSE STANDARDS ARE CONSISTENTLY UPDATED AND MAKE SURE IF THERE IS AN INCIDENT AT A FACILITY THAT IT'S HANDLED SAFELY AND WITHOUT AN IMPACT TO THE NEIGHBORING COMMUNITY.

>> Jeff: EVAN VAUGHN OF MAREC ACTION THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND THAT IS "STATE CIRCLE" FOR THIS WEEK.

JOINING EVERY WEEK AS WE CONNECT MARYLANDERS TO THEIR GOVERNMENT.

VIDEOS CAN BE FOUND AT VIDEO.MPT.TV AND THE FREE PBS APP.

AND WE ARE ON SOCIAL MEDIA AT MPT NEWS.

JOIN US MONDAY FOR "DIRECT CONNECTION" AND YOUR CHANCE TO ASK THE EXPERTS THAT IS MONDAY EVENING LIVE AT 7:00 P.M.

FOR ALL OF US AT MPT THANK YOU FOR WATCHING AND WE'LL SEE YOU BACK HERE MONDAY.

CLOSED CAPTIONING HAS BEEN MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY MARYLAND RELAY, EMPOWERING THOSE WHO ARE DEAF, HARD OF HEARING OR SPEECH DISABLED TO STAY CONNECTED BY PHONE.