NY Gov. Hochul once resisted a data center pause. Now it’s central to her campaign.
Gov. Kathy Hochul reversed her opposition to a statewide pause on large-scale data centers and established a year-long moratorium in July. The policy has become a major part of her reelection campaign, while Republican opponent Bruce Blakeman argues it could discourage business and slow artificial intelligence innovation.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul initially rejected an outright pause on large-scale data centers, saying in May that the state should ensure communities benefit from hosting the facilities. Two months later, she announced a year-long moratorium through an executive order, saying the pause would give New York time to develop regulations addressing energy demand, water use, noise and other impacts.
The moratorium applies to facilities requiring at least 50 megawatts of power, while a broader bill approved by the Legislature would cover projects consuming at least 20 megawatts and require them to generate some of their own energy. Hochul has not yet said whether she will sign or veto that legislation, but she supports requiring data centers to provide their own power or pay a premium and wants host communities to receive substantial infrastructure benefits.
The pause has become a central issue in Hochul's campaign against Republican Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman. Blakeman opposes the moratorium, arguing that it creates a hostile business climate and could harm New York's position in artificial intelligence, although he acknowledges concerns about data center water and energy use. Polling shows voters broadly support the moratorium, even as few rank data centers as their top election issue.