Blackburn's absence noted at gubernatorial forum
Three Tennessee gubernatorial candidates backed a statewide moratorium or stronger guardrails on data center development during a forum, citing utility strain, infrastructure costs and concerns that companies should pay their fair share. The candidates also discussed Memphis-based opposition to xAI's data center expansion and a delayed wastewater cooling project.
At a gubernatorial forum hosted by Middle Tennessee State University and the Tennessee Press Association, candidates Jerri Green, David Hatley and Lauren Pinkston each supported a moratorium on data centers in Tennessee. Hatley called for guardrails requiring companies such as Google, Meta and xAI to cover their share of property taxes, utilities and infrastructure, while Green and Pinkston emphasized the need to address potential harms before allowing further development.
Green highlighted her opposition to data center growth in Memphis and criticized xAI for pausing a greywater project intended to cool its already-operating facility while expanding the data center. Pinkston warned that utility costs could be shifted to working-class residents and supported a statewide pause, while all three candidates framed the issue as one requiring stronger public oversight. The forum was primarily an election-policy discussion rather than a decision on a specific data center permit or moratorium.