Leon County moves toward 18-month data center moratorium

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• Sep 15
  NEWS·Hillsborough Co., FL

  How much could data centers cost Duke Energy Florida customers? It’s redacted

  Tampa Bay Times · Hillsborough Co., FL · also at Yahoo
• Sep 15
  HEARING·Chatham Co., GA

  Georgia PSC hears data center concerns at Savannah meeting

  The Georgia Public Service Commission held its first administrative meeting outside Atlanta in nearly 20 years in Savannah, hosting a town hall where residents expressed concerns about rapid data center development, particularly OpenAI's planned 1,400-acre Effingham County campus. The PSC announced new requirements for large-load contracts, including long-term agreements and upfront infrastructure payments, with the OpenAI deal calling for a 25-year term and 3.2 gigawatts of demand.

  Statesboro Herald · Chatham Co., GA
• Sep 15
  VOTE·Fulton Co., GA

  Georgia PSC Takes Questions on OpenAI’s Effingham Data Center

  The Georgia Public Service Commission held a town hall in Savannah on Tuesday to address concerns about OpenAI's planned 1,400-acre data center in Effingham County, focusing on regulatory oversight, power demands, and customer protections. The PSC established new requirements for large-load contracts, including 25-year terms, minimum bills, and provisions preventing cost shifts to residential customers if the contract ends early.

  Effingham Herald · Fulton Co., GA
• Sep 15
  HEARING·Chatham Co., GA

  Savannah residents voice concerns over Georgia Power’s ties to proposed OpenAI data center

  Residents at a Georgia Public Service Commission forum in Savannah expressed environmental, health, and cost concerns about Georgia Power's role in supplying electricity to a proposed OpenAI data center in Effingham County, with critics questioning whether projected bill savings justify potential community impacts.

  WTOC · Chatham Co., GA
• Sep 15
  MORATORIUM·Walton Co., GA

  Ask 13: Where is data center development paused, banned in western North Carolina?

  Several western North Carolina counties and municipalities have adopted temporary moratoriums on data center development while evaluating potential impacts, while Brevard has implemented permanent zoning regulations instead. Rutherford County is home to an existing Meta data center that opened in 2010.

  WLOS · Walton Co., GA · also at WLOS
• Sep 15
  UTILITIES·Fulton Co., GA

  Report predicts ‘sharp deceleration’ of Georgia data center growth after 2030

  Georgia hosts more than 200 data centers, but a report by Greenlink Analytics and Science for Georgia predicts growth will "decelerate sharply after 2030," with annual growth dropping from 8-22% through 2030 to just 1-7% thereafter. Analysts warn that if utilities build infrastructure for demand that never materializes, ratepayers could face billions in stranded assets.

  WABE · Fulton Co., GA
• Sep 15
  NEWS·Hinds Co., MS

  Mississippi supervisors get crash course on data centers as industry expands statewide

  Mississippi county supervisors gathered at a two-day convening in Jackson to learn about data center development, an expanding industry statewide. Organizers brought in outside experts, including Brookings Institution representatives, to address concerns from local officials about potential impacts on utilities and water resources.

  WLBT · Hinds Co., MS
• Sep 15
  NEWS·Tennessee

  Data center developer hammering out binding agreement with city

  Headline onlyThe Black Chronicle · Tennessee · also at The Center Square
• Sep 15
  MORATORIUM·Shelby Co., TN

  Memphis City Council delays moratorium on data centers

  Headline onlyThe Commercial Appeal · Shelby Co., TN
• Sep 15
  NEWS·Shelby Co., TN

  Data center noise triggers sleepless nights for Memphis-area residents

  Residents near a Southaven data center report persistent mechanical noise exceeding 60 decibels at night, disrupting sleep for over a year. Project representatives say millions are being invested in sound mitigation, but an installed sound wall has provided minimal relief.

  The American Bazaar · Shelby Co., TN
• Sep 15
  MORATORIUM·Shelby Co., TN

  Data center moratorium proposals delayed until October

  A Memphis City Council member delayed a vote on a proposed one-year ban on new data centers until October 6, saying he would amend the ordinance to address fellow council members' suggestions while focusing on hyperscale facilities.

  Daily Memphian · Shelby Co., TN · also at Daily Memphian
• Sep 15
  MORATORIUM

  Orange County commissioners consider moratorium on AI data centers

  Orange County commissioners are debating a temporary moratorium on new AI data center applications after dozens of residents spoke in support, citing concerns about health impacts, energy consumption, air pollution, and water usage. Commissioner Kelly Semrad proposed at least a one-year pause to allow the county to update policies and study environmental impacts.

  WESH