Megawatt moratorium: Palm Beach County OKs year-long data center pause
Palm Beach County has unanimously approved a year-long moratorium on new applications for large-scale data centers, defined as those consuming 50 megawatts or more, to conduct further study. This decision follows the earlier rejection of Project Tango, a data center development that faced significant community opposition and is currently under appeal by its owner, PBA Holdings. The county plans to hire a consultant to research data center matters instead of forming a volunteer committee.
Palm Beach County in Florida has unanimously approved a year-long moratorium on new applications for large-scale data centers, specifically those with a monthly peak load of 50 megawatts or more. The ban, which will last until September 24, 2027, was enacted to provide the county with more time to study the technology and its impacts.
This decision comes after the county previously rejected a zoning application for "Project Tango," a million-square-foot data center planned for the Central Park Commerce Center. That project had faced substantial community opposition, and property owner PBA Holdings has since appealed the county's denial. An earlier, smaller warehouse and data center project on the same site, approved in 2016, could still proceed if Project Tango is ultimately halted.
During the pause, county commissioners debated how to gather information for future data center regulations. They voted 4-2 against forming a volunteer-based committee, citing potential delays. Instead, the county opted to hire a consultant, a move criticized by County Mayor Sara Baxter and Commissioner Bobby Powell Jr. due to the high cost (estimated between $200,000 and $2 million) and concerns it could limit public input.
The article notes that several other Florida counties, including Citrus, Pasco, and Clay, have also rejected data center applications. Neighboring Martin County is reportedly considering its own moratorium. Data center development has also become a key issue in Florida's gubernatorial race, with Republican candidate U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds advocating for regulation without outright bans and Democrat candidate David Jolly proposing a statewide moratorium.