Data Centers

DOE Selects $1.9 Billion in Grid Projects to Meet AI-Era Demand

The Department of Energy selected 31 projects across 26 states to rebuild transmission lines, deploy grid-enhancing technology and unlock an estimated 23 gigawatts of additional capacity. The projects would receive $1.9 billion in federal funding and $3.35 billion in matching funds, but the awards remain subject to negotiations. This is the selection stage of the funding opportunity announced in March, not an additional $1.9 billion allocation.

Pro-Data Center Party Draws Protesters in Washington, D.C.

Hundreds attended “Data After Dark: A Pro-Data Center Party” at a Washington cryptocurrency bar on September 26 to counter growing opposition to AI infrastructure. The invitation described the backlash as “bipartisan psychosis,” while speakers promoted additional construction and framed it as necessary to compete with China. Protesters who interrupted the event with concerns about water use and environmental harm were drowned out by chants of “USA” and escorted from the stage.

New Jersey fines Vineland data center $1.07 million over unpermitted generators

New Jersey regulators say DataOne installed and operated 62 large natural gas generators without required air permits. The penalty is the state’s largest enforcement action against a data center.

House passes the first federal data center ratepayer bill, but it stalls in the Senate

The House passed the Ratepayer Protection Act 417-3. The measure would require state utility regulators to consider making large electricity users, including data centers, pay the incremental infrastructure costs created by their demand, but Sen. Martin Heinrich blocked expedited Senate passage because the standard would remain voluntary and therefore ineffective.

Trump administration reviews data center proposals across public lands

Bureau of Land Management records showed at least 12 data center or related infrastructure proposals spanning 17,600 acres in Arizona, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Wyoming. After publication, Valar Atomics said it had dropped its 10,200 acre Utah proposal, so 17,600 acres is not the current active total.

Virginia governor launches a Data Center Accountability Framework

Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s framework addresses nondisclosure agreements, permitting, subsidies, noise, backup generators, environmental protections and ratepayer costs. Executive Order 22 immediately restricts executive branch NDAs and directs agencies to accelerate noise rules and review backup generation operations, while broader changes will require legislation.

Former EPA officials warn that the data center boom could become a public health crisis

The Environmental Protection Network, representing more than 800 former EPA employees, identified 30 federal actions since January 2025 that could increase pollution related health risks as data centers expand. Seventeen specifically cite or target AI and data centers. The report cites research estimating that data center related air pollution could cause roughly 600,000 asthma symptom cases, 1,300 premature deaths, and as much as $20.9 billion in annual public health costs by 2028. More than 90% of the modeled health impacts came from power plants supplying data centers.

Trump administration moves to ease environmental rules for data centers

Texas city hosting major AI data center expansion declares water disaster

Childress TX declared a local disaster after drought and extreme heat left residents under a boil water notice and Stage 4 emergency restrictions. Greenbelt Lake, the regional water supply shared with Crowell and other communities, was just 4.8% full on September 13. Childress is simultaneously becoming a major AI data center hub. Although the available reporting does not blame data centers for the current emergency, the collision between severe water scarcity and gigawatt scale development are hard to ignore.

U.S. Gas Power Construction Surges Alongside AI Data Center Development

The US is now building approximately twice as much gas fired power capacity as China, according to an analysis by Global Energy Monitor. Roughly half of the proposed U.S. capacity is reportedly connected to data center demand, raising concerns about emissions, utility costs and the long-term expansion of fossil fuel infrastructure.

New Map Tracks Data Center Nondisclosure Agreements

A new Newsweek map identifies states where data-center projects have reportedly been shielded by nondisclosure agreements, raising concerns about public transparency. The map reflects documented cases, not a complete national inventory.

SpaceX Plans to Manufacture Gas Turbine Components for AI Power Demand

Elon Musk says SpaceX will begin manufacturing gas turbine blades and other components at a new foundry in Bastrop, Texas. The company says producing the parts internally could accelerate turbine deployment as AI companies increasingly turn to onsite natural-gas generation to power data centers.

Trump Declares National Emergency Over Threats to U.S. Power Grid

President Trump declared a national emergency over foreign threats to the bulk power system and directed federal agencies to restrict equipment from countries considered security risks. The order specifically cites rapidly growing electricity demand from artificial intelligence and data centers as increasing the consequences of any disruption to the grid.

U.S. Gas Power Construction Surges Alongside AI Data Center Development

The United States is now building approximately twice as much gas-fired power capacity as China, according to an analysis by Global Energy Monitor. Roughly half of the proposed U.S. capacity is reportedly connected to data-center demand, raising concerns about emissions, utility costs and the long-term expansion of fossil-fuel infrastructure.

Arizona Attorney General Calls for Statewide Data Center Pause

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes called for a statewide pause on new data-center approvals and construction until the state develops a plan for managing the industry’s growth. She cited rising electricity bills and a nearly 30% reduction in Arizona’s Colorado River allocation, arguing that the state is already constrained by both power and water.

Pennsylvania imposes sweeping new restrictions

Governor Josh Shapiro removed data centers from Pennsylvania’s Fast Track permitting program and prohibited state agencies from signing NDAs with developers. Projects must now obtain local approval and commit to the state’s grid requirements before state environmental review proceeds.

Three new data-center moratoriums take effect

Indianapolis paused new data centers through December 2027. Calvert County, Maryland, and Anderson County, South Carolina, each approved six-month moratoriums while officials examine potential effects on electricity, water and infrastructure.

Texas data center review continues through at least December

ERCOT expects to complete Governor Abbott’s audit by December 10th. Roughly 300 proposed projects of at least 75 megawatts are undergoing verification, while 17 advanced projects representing 6.6 gigawatts are still waiting for final approval to energize.

Data Centers Emerge as a Major Midterm Issue

Data Centers Emerge as a Major Midterm Issue Data centers are influencing gubernatorial races as candidates respond to concerns about electricity prices, water consumption and local control. Governors in several states are reconsidering tax breaks and adopting stricter development rules.

Short-Term Energy Outlook

U.S. Electricity Demand Expected to Set New Records The Energy Information Administration expects national electricity consumption to reach record levels in 2026 and again in 2027. Growth is being driven largely by AI data centers and other large computing facilities.

U.S. Lawmaker Proposes a Data Center Bill of Rights

Rep. Khanna Introduces Data Center Bill of Rights. Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) introduced a resolution proposing 2,500-foot buffers, public impact reports and a community right to reject data centers. It is currently a nonbinding resolution, not an enforceable law.

Approved Decision of Townsite Data Center

The Bureau of Land Management approved the 88.5-acre Townsite Data Center near Boulder City, Nevada, in June, in what is believed to be the first commercial AI data center approved on BLM-managed public land. The developer replaced a previously approved solar and battery project with the data center proposal, prompting appeals over the lack of a new environmental review and public-comment period.

Army Reaches Conditional Agreement for Hyperscaled Data Centers

The Pentagon has opened or considered land at at least a dozen Army and Air Force installations for commercial AI data centers, although only two projects have been conditionally selected so far: Carlyle at Fort Bliss, Texas, and CyrusOne at Dugway Proving Ground, Utah. The agreements remain under negotiation, and the companies would finance, operate and eventually decommission the facilities.

Federal Government to Turn a Kentucky Uranium Plant Into an AI Data Center and Gas Power Complex

The Department of Energy is planning a $100 billion data center and energy complex at the former Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant in Kentucky, including a 1.8-gigawatt campus and 2 gigawatts of gas generation. Cleanup of the contaminated Cold War site, including groundwater contamination, is projected to continue through 2065 and cost about $17 billion, prompting public-health and environmental groups to raise concerns about cumulative pollution and regulatory oversight.

Open Weights and American AI Leadership

Dozens of tech companies, including NVIDIA, Microsoft, Meta and Palantir, signed a July 24 letter urging U.S. policymakers to avoid premature restrictions on open-weight AI models, arguing that openness is essential to competition, security and American leadership in AI.

Frontiers | The energy challenges of artificial superintelligence

A 2023 peer-reviewed paper estimated that fully simulating the human brain with conventional supercomputers could require around 2.7 billion watts of power, compared with just 12 watts used by the brain itself.

President Trump Makes an Announcement on the Ratepayer Protection Pledge – The White House

Speaking at the EPA on July 23, President Trump urged governors and other leaders to convince their communities to embrace AI data centers, declaring, “You can’t fight it. You have to go with it.” He also renewed his emphasis on the administration’s voluntary Ratepayer Protection Pledge.

Minor New Source Review Program Air Permitting Public Participation Requirements for State Implementation Plans

The EPA has proposed eliminating minimum federal public participation requirements for “minor source” air permits and leaving those decisions to state and local regulators. If finalized, the change could remove guaranteed public notice and comment for some data-center backup generators,coal ash, gas turbines, and other equipment classified as minor pollution sources. A virtual hearing is scheduled for July 22, and comments are open through August 21.

Sign our Petition to Trump

Please sign and share this petition urging President Trump to reject expanded coal use as the answer to data center demand and require transparency, local review, and strong safeguards for children, farmers, health, land, and water.

Big Tech Is Now Targeting Native American Land for Massive Data Centers - The New York Times

A New York Times investigation found technology and energy companies pursuing data-center projects on tribal lands, where sovereign authority may allow faster approvals than conventional permitting processes. Some tribal leaders view the projects as an economic opportunity, while others warn that secrecy, water risks, and promises of prosperity resemble earlier patterns of exploitation. The Seminole Nation of Oklahoma has already enacted a moratorium on data-center development.

How big will the Richland Parish data center be? Meta will expand AI center

Meta’s Richland Parish data center project in Louisiana has now reportedly expanded to more than $50 billion and five gigawatts of computing capacity, nearly doubling its original estimated cost.

Evaluating Grid Resilience in the Era of Ever-Increasing Data Centers

A July 8 preprint found that doubling a simulated data center’s power demand increased electricity shortages during a grid emergency more than sevenfold. Concentrating demand during the most strained period increased the shortage by another 34%.

White House to rally utilities, data centers for AI power cost pledge, sources say

The White House plans to recruit more utilities, data center operators, and governors for its Ratepayer Protection Pledge. The voluntary pledge asks companies to cover data center-related power plant and grid costs rather than passing them to customers.

Heat dome poses woes for largest US power grid beyond data center boom

Wholesale power costs in the PJM region rose 68% during the first five months of 2026 as data center demand and extreme summer heat placed additional strain on the grid. PJM also reported record-high electricity demand during the recent heat dome.

ComEd says power grid under "critical strain" on West Side, in some west, southwest suburbs amid heat wave

ComEd asked customers in parts of Chicago and its western suburbs to immediately reduce electricity use after the heat wave pushed portions of the grid to a “critical level.” Customers were urged to raise thermostats, close blinds, and unplug unused electronics.

AI data centres are driving up power bills at America’s Rust Belt factories

Ohio-based Belden Brick saw its monthly electricity capacity costs rise from approximately $1,600 to more than $12,000. The increase comes as PJM capacity prices have climbed from $28.92 per megawatt-day in 2024 to $329.17, a rise of more than 1,000%.

UN chief calls on AI firms to come clean on their environmental costs

At London Climate Action Week, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called on AI companies to publicly disclose their data centers' water, carbon, and land-use impacts, warning about the rapidly increasing power and water needs of data centers. His best quote: “If AI is to help build a better future, it must be honest about what it costs us now.”

40 mayors back a new Global Urban Data Centres Pact

Mayors from 40 major cities, including London, Phoenix, Melbourne, Barcelona, Chennai, and Boise, backed a new Global Urban Data Centres Pact to curb the pressure data centers put on power grids, water supplies, and communities.

Texas approves new ERCOT process as data-center grid backlog explodes

Texas approved a new ERCOT (Electric Reliability Council of Texas) process to connect data centers to the grid, citing a massive backlog of more than 438,000 megawatts of large-load requests in queue — 90% of them for data centers. The new process “batches” applications together, which they say will resolve the backlog and organize better studies. Meanwhile, they project that electricity demand in Texas will quadruple by 2032.