Data Center News

Track U.S. data-center development, from AI-driven buildouts and electricity demand to utility planning, permitting, regulation, and state or local disputes. Include stories only when data centers themselves are central—not general AI, energy, or technology coverage.
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  • analysis

    Can Trump Save Public Perception of Data Centers?
    Data centers have become widely unpopular with the American people, but some experts say it is up to Big Tech, not the president, to improve public opinion. President Donald Trump has been outspoken in his support for data centers, posting on Truth Social Monday that those who oppose data centers want to be “backwards and…
    Elizabeth Troutman Mitchell
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  • analysis

    Texas Governor’s Race Could Hinge on Data Center Debate 
    Data centers are emerging as a major issue in the 2026 Texas governor’s race, with Gov. Greg Abbott and Democrat challenger Gina Hinojosa taking different positions on growth, tax incentives, and impact on communities.
    Emily Medeiros
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  • news

    Data Center Debate Draws Contrast Between Democrats and GOP in Georgia
    Data centers are shaping politics and elections across the country, but that is especially true in Georgia, which has a critical gubernatorial election and a Senate race that could determine the balance of power in Washington. Democrats and Republicans are scrambling to solidify their policies toward data centers in the Peach State. Their approaches and…
    Rebecca Buis
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  • news

    Georgia County Official Says Data Center Will Cut Property Taxes
    THE CENTER SQUARE—A new data center from Open AI could cut county property tax bills significantly, an Effingham County official said, but some residents said they didn’t feel as if the tax breaks would outweigh any detrimental effects of the facility.  Dubbed Project Camilla, the 1,400-acre, 3.2-gigawatt data center will be completed in phases beginning…
    Kim Jarrett
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  • news

    Data Center Tax Break Under Fire
    Virginia is the worldwide leader in data centers, and it has been since the dawn of the modern information age. There are at least 674 data centers in Virginia, and more are on the drawing board. For example, the Hanover County Planning Commission voted last week to allow the development of a technology park that…
    Rich Tucker
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  • news

    Ken Paxton Unveils ‘Texas First’ Data Center Plan to Protect Grid, Communities
    Republican U.S. Senate candidate and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has released his plan to protect Texas’ power grid and communities from issues associated with data centers while ensuring the United States beats China in the artificial intelligence race. On Monday, Paxton released his “Texas First Data Center Plan,” which outlines four key proposals to…
    Emily Medeiros
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  • news

    Data Center Backlash Brings Thousands of Projects to a Screeching Halt
    THE DAILY CALLER NEWS FOUNDATION—Americans’ growing opposition to the prevalence of data centers has led many politicians to limit or pause their increase altogether. Lawmakers in New York and Texas, for example, have effected stoppages of data center projects, while other states, such as Pennsylvania, have issued more restrictions on data center construction. Americans’ support…
    Sean Moran
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  • opinion

    Data Centers, Polling, November Elections, and the Way Forward
    Data centers are about as popular as cancer right now, and my latest battleground polling proves it. In Wisconsin, the consummate swing state, approval for data centers falls to an abysmal 19% overall. Even worse details emerge from the poll crosstabs and a comparison to polling from the same period late last year. This TIPP Insights polling…
    Steve Cortes
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  • Hundreds Pack Overflow Rooms as Texans Sound Alarm Over Data Center Growth
    During a hearing before the House Committee on State Affairs, residents, state regulators, and local officials expressed concerns about the potential impacts that large data centers could have on the state.  On Wednesday, the State Affairs Committee heard testimony from hundreds of residents, prompting lawmakers to open two overflow rooms.  Residents raised concerns about water supplies, noise levels, and…
    Emily Medeiros
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  • exclusive

    Data Center Backlash Upends Swing State Governor’s Race
    FIRST ON DAILY SIGNAL—Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Tiffany is betting Wisconsin voters’ growing opposition to data centers can help flip the governor’s mansion, and new polling suggests he may have found one of the most potent issues in the race. After the state’s Democrat primary last week, Tiffany moved quickly to define his opponent, the…
    Robert B. Bluey
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  • news

    How Will Data Centers Affect Ohio’s Elections?
    It’s a critical election year, and candidates running for Senate and governor in Ohio are becoming increasingly aware that the issue of data centers could play a key role in the outcome of the election. On Wednesday, Axios reported on a private memo from the National Republican Senatorial Committee to artificial intelligence companies—it was titled…
    Rebecca Downs
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  • news

    Policy Group: Georgia Data Centers Will Require More Electricity Than the State Can Give
    In 2025, Georgia Power got permission from the Public Service Commission to substantially expand the volume of electricity the utility creates and sells. The reasoning behind this increased demand was the expansion of data centers across the state. The question that naturally follows from this increased demand is whether the state can provide the amount…
    Rebecca Buis
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  • news

    Georgia Candidates Gather at Chamber Luncheon to Discuss Business, Data Centers
    ATHENS, Ga.—On Wednesday, a host of political candidates attended the Chamber of Commerce Congressional Luncheon to discuss initiatives, make pledges, and more. Attendees included U.S. Senate candidate Rep. Mike Collins, gubernatorial candidates Rick Jackson and Keisha Lance Bottoms, and Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp. Collins, the Republican running against incumbent Democrat Sen. Jon Ossoff, spoke toward…
    Rebecca Buis
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  • news

    Chesapeake Delays Data Center Applications
    THE CENTER SQUARE—Chesapeake is delaying some new data center proposals while it rewrites the rules for where the facilities can be built and how they’re reviewed. The City Council voted 9-0 on July 21 to approve Resolution 26-R-042, temporarily delaying consideration of data center applications requiring rezonings or conditional use permits for up to eight…
    Shirleen Guerra
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  • Abbott Orders Audit of Texas Data Centers, Pausing Future Grid Connections
    Earlier this week, Gov. Greg Abbott ordered state regulators to conduct a comprehensive audit of data centers seeking to connect to the Texas grid, effectively pausing future data center projects until the review is complete. Abbott’s order directs the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) to conduct…
    Emily Medeiros
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  • opinion

    Texans Can Have Data Centers and Affordable Energy Too
    There is no need to choose between winning the AI race and having affordable electricity. Data centers consume a lot of electricity and will therefore raise electricity demand across the country, but demand alone does not determine whether household rates rise. Texas’ data centers can strengthen the state’s economy without forcing households to pay higher…
    Jason Hayes | Jacob Twyford
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  • analysis

    The Data Center Question: What Will the Impacts Be for Georgians?
    Recently, Georgians across the state have expressed concerns over the potential for new data centers to be built in their communities. Examples include a $20 billion project being discussed in Effingham County. Massive development projects raise many bipartisan issues, including the possibility of tax hikes and higher water and electricity costs. “It’s easy to say…
    Rebecca Buis
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  • news

    DeWine Takes Action on Data Centers
    Gov. Mike DeWine, R-Ohio, on Thursday joined nearly half of the governors in the country in signing onto President Donald Trump’s Ratepayer Protection Pledge. The pledge would require AI companies and data center operators pay the utility and infrastructure costs of data centers, not consumers. “America’s continued economic and technological leadership depends on reliable, large-scale…
    Rebecca Downs
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  • news

    Major Data Center Proposal Withdrawn Following Talks With Texas Officials
    A proposed data center in Henderson County, Texas, has withdrawn its plans to acquire land for its development. On Thursday, Diode, a global semiconductor company, notified Henderson County officials that it will no longer pursue the land development near Cedar Creek Lake. “Instead, we will focus on opportunities where we can support Texas’ growing infrastructure…
    Emily Medeiros
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  • news

    Will Trump’s Plan to Make Data Centers Bring Their Own Energy Quell Anti-AI Sentiment?
    President Donald Trump said 23 governors have signed his pledge to protect everyday Americans from the energy costs associated with new artificial intelligence data centers. Governors, companies, and stakeholders who sign the pledge agree to “protect American consumers from price hikes due to data center energy and infrastructure requirements, and lower electricity costs for consumers…
    Elizabeth Troutman Mitchell
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