Earlier this month, Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe spoke in front of a crowd at an annual summit on power held by the state’s Public Service Commission in Jefferson City.

Data centers dominated his remarks.

“Big talk seems to always come back to data centers, which is a piece of the economic puzzle that we would love to have in our portfolio here in the state,” Kehoe said. “But it really is much more than that — it's a statement of what Missouri is about and if we're open to do business or not.”

Over the past several months, the proliferation of data center proposals in eastern Missouri has sparked public furor from communities and excitement from officials and the development sector.

At the core of the debate: the economic impact of the projects.

Opponents of new data center construction i

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