Florida GOP candidates for governor make closing pitch before primary
Florida's leading Republican gubernatorial candidates are presenting diverse stances on data center development ahead of the primary election. Some candidates advocate for local control and regulation, while others propose complete bans, citing concerns over power grids, utility rates, and water usage.
Florida's four leading Republican candidates for governor have articulated their positions on data center development, electricity, and water usage ahead of the upcoming primary election. Lt. Gov. Jay Collins believes that decisions regarding data centers should be left to local authorities, while also emphasizing the protection of ratepayers and the expansion of the power grid without burdening residents.
Byron Donalds supports allowing data centers but with regulation, noting that Florida law already protects utility rates from being raised due to data centers and requires water use permits. He argues data centers are crucial for Florida's economic competitiveness but insists they should not be built near homes and must be kept away. Donalds also advocates for expanding the power grid with natural gas and nuclear options to lower utility bills.
Candidate Fishback promises a complete ban on data centers, linking their presence to rising electric bills and other affordability concerns for residents. Similarly, Renner, a former House speaker, states he is a "hard no" on data centers, suggesting they should be directed to "blue states that are emptying out, that have more grid capacity, that have excess water."