Newly elected Georgia PSC member calls for data center moratorium
Georgia Public Service Commission member-elect Shelia Edwards is calling for a moratorium on new data centers, saying the pause should last longer than a year. Residents near Dallas oppose a proposed facility next to their homes and are seeking buffers, additional research and stronger development safeguards because of concerns about water, electricity use and tax breaks.
Georgia Public Service Commission member-elect Shelia Edwards is urging a moratorium on new data center development, arguing that Georgia needs stronger guardrails before allowing additional facilities. Edwards said the moratorium should last longer than a year and raised concerns about data centers' heavy consumption of water and electricity, as well as tax incentives received by projects generating billions of dollars.
Residents along Cole Lake Road in Dallas, including Todd Pownall, are opposing a proposed data center approved on property directly behind his home. Pownall said data centers should not be located in residential areas and called for more research, buffers and other protections. Governor-elect Keisha Lance Bottoms has also supported a moratorium, while opponents are seeking a statewide voice in deciding where facilities can be built and how they operate.