Governor DeSantis signs data center bill into law

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has signed SB484 into law, a bill designed to impose restrictions on data center companies and safeguard communities where they operate. Speaking at a press conference, Governor DeSantis emphasized that individual Floridians should not bear increased electricity costs due to hyperscale data centers, arguing against public subsidies for wealthy tech companies. This legislative action follows a proposal over a month ago by NextNRG, which identified 400 acres in Nassau County as suitable for a data center. When contacted by Action News Jax, NextNRG affirmed that the new law would not alter their focus on building a smart microgrid and creating local jobs in Nassau County. They indicated that any future data center applications would feature dedicated onsite power infrastructure, ensuring no impact on existing utility grids or local ratepayers. However, local sentiment in Nassau County remains divided. Resident Melissa Toompas voiced strong opposition, citing excessive natural resource consumption by data centers. Nassau County Commissioner Alyson McCullough confirmed that despite the Governor's new law, the county still plans to vote on whether to enact a one-year moratorium on data center proposals, indicating ongoing local discussions and potential actions regarding data center development.