Voters in 10 US States to Decide on Data Centre Limits | WION Dispatch
Voters in 10 states are considering ballot measures to limit or pause new data center development because of concerns about electricity demand, water use, grid reliability and higher residential power bills. In Sunbury, Ohio, a proposed ban on data centers using more than 25 megawatts could affect Amazon's planned $20 billion project.
Residents across 10 states are voting on dozens of ballot measures that would impose new limits or pauses on data center construction. Ballotpedia reported that voters in 38 local jurisdictions are considering at least 41 proposals, with Ohio accounting for 21 measures across more than a dozen communities.
The opposition is focused on the strain that energy-intensive facilities could place on electric grids, local water supplies and household utility bills. In Sunbury, Ohio, organizers are backing a proposed ban on data centers consuming more than 25 megawatts, a measure that could affect Amazon's planned $20 billion development. The report also noted that technology companies, including Amazon and Alphabet, are facing rising costs as they accelerate investment in artificial intelligence infrastructure.