Data‑centre politics harden
- State and local politics across the U.S. are increasingly contested over data‑centre power and utility use. - Examples include an Ohio bill to let data centres build power plants and Maine pausing 20‑megawatt builds while EIA surveys usage. - That political friction raises local approval hurdles for hyperscale projects and reinforces the case for command‑and‑control office clusters (wfmj.com) (intelligentliving.co).
Statehouses and town halls are turning into the next choke point for U.S. data-center growth as officials fight over who pays for the electricity. (mainepublic.org) (wfmj.com) In Ohio, House Bill 15 took effect on August 14, 2025, after clearing the legislature and being signed by Gov. Mike DeWine. WFMJ reported this week that the law lets data centers apply to build on-site power sources without local input. (legislature.ohio.gov) (wfmj.com) Ohio regulators are already approving generation tied to data-center demand. WFMJ reported last week that the Ohio Power Siting Board has approved new power projects as electricity demand rises, and WTOL reported in February that the board authorized a 350-megawatt natural-gas plant in Wood County to serve an adjacent data center. (wfmj.com) (wtol.com) Maine is moving the other way. Maine Public reported on April 13 that lawmakers passed an 18-month moratorium on new data centers using more than 20 megawatts of power while a state council studies grid, water and community effects. (mainepublic.org) Gov. Janet Mills has not embraced a blanket stop. Maine Public reported that Mills said she wants an exemption for a proposed $550 million project at the former Androscoggin paper mill in Jay, arguing the town needs jobs and tax revenue after the mill closed in 2023. (mainepublic.org) The power fight is getting sharper because the load is getting bigger. The Department of Energy said in December 2024 that U.S. data-center electricity use rose from 58 terawatt-hours in 2014 to 176 terawatt-hours in 2023 and could reach 325 to 580 terawatt-hours by 2028. (energy.gov) Washington is also moving to count the load more directly. WIRED reported on April 16 that the Energy Information Administration told Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Josh Hawley it plans a mandatory assessment of data-center energy use after pilot surveys in data-center-heavy regions. (wired.com) That combination — state fights over permits and federal pressure for better numbers — is changing how projects get sold. Cleveland.com reported last week that Ohio communities are now arguing over land deals, electric rates and whether promised development offsets the strain on local infrastructure. (cleveland.com) For developers, the easier pitch is no longer just cheap land. It is a site that already has transmission, political cover and room for dedicated power, which is why battles over one Ohio bill and one Maine moratorium are being watched far beyond either state. (wfmj.com) (mainepublic.org)
