The five questions that decide a project

01PowerIs a grid connection available, and when?02LandBrownfield, business park, landowner: what is the site worth?03DemandWho will use the capacity?04Local acceptanceWater, noise, heat, jobs: which figures to prepare?05Local benefitsTax, jobs, spillovers: what to expect?

Typical situations on this question →

Offer · Preparing answers before consultation

Projects that get stuck are often those that reach the public meeting without figures on water, noise or jobs. We prepare verifiable answers with the developer, or help the local authority ask the right questions. Never both on the same project.

You receive:

  • a review of the project's and the area's sensitive topics
  • sourced figures on water, noise, heat and jobs
  • preparation of consultation and public meetings
  • a communication strategy if a legal challenge or crisis arises

First conversation confidential and with no commitment. Fixed fees proposed in writing before any assignment. Best-efforts obligation.

The problem. Large projects have brought data centers out of anonymity: public consultations, petitions, legal challenges, a parliamentary debate on a moratorium. Most opposition focuses on the same four topics. Those who answer them early, with figures, move forward. See our opposition tracker.

THE FOUR TOPICS

Water

Closed loop or evaporative cooling, water-stressed areas: since May 2026, a permit can be refused in an area of structural water stress. Water and data centers

Noise

Chillers and dry coolers day and night, generator testing, transformer hum. Noise: what to measure

Heat

Above 1 MW, waste heat must be reused (ERF of at least 0.20) unless shown to be impossible. PUE, WUE, ERF

Jobs

Few permanent jobs relative to land and investment: announced figures are often disputed. Local benefits

OUR RULE

We support either the developer or the local authority, never both on the same project. We take no side for or against data centers: our role is to make sure questions are asked and answers are verifiable. See support for local authorities.

WHO IS INVOLVED

Blandine Cazelles

Blandine Cazelles

Crisis communication & public affairs

Founder of a network of senior crisis management experts, former regional head of communications at La Poste, former Senate chief of staff. Read profile →

HOW IT WORKS

A first conversation. You describe the project and the decision at stake. We tell you whether we can help, and who will be involved.
A confidentiality agreement. Signed before you send us any document.
A written, fixed-fee proposal. Scope, deliverables, timeline and fees set in advance: no open-ended time-based billing.
The assignment and debrief. A written deliverable, a debrief session, and the questions to put to the grid operator or your partners.

WHAT WE COMMIT TO

Recent assignments

Review of connection documents and the announced energisation date for a European data center developer, ahead of its investment decision. Audit of high-voltage equipment sourcing for a petrochemical group.

Independence

We do not design, build or sell equipment. No commission, no brokerage. Never on both sides of the same project.

Framework

Confidentiality agreement before any document. Professional liability insurance. Best-efforts obligation: only RTE and Enedis commit to capacity and a date.

DESCRIBE YOUR SITUATION

A few lines are enough: the project, the document or decision at stake, and your deadline. We come back to you to set up a first conversation.

First conversation confidential and with no commitment. Fixed fees proposed in writing before any assignment. Best-efforts obligation.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What are the main reasons for opposing a data center?

Most often water, noise, electricity use, land take and the low number of jobs relative to land area.