Savannah City Council approves 155-day moratorium on large-scale data centers

The Savannah City Council has enacted a 155-day moratorium on large-scale data center developments within city limits, a move anticipated after Mayor Van Johnson's weekly press conference earlier in the week.

City leaders voted to adopt the "Savannah Data Center Moratorium" following extensive input from residents, many of whom expressed that it was not the appropriate time for Savannah to engage in data center discussions. The new ordinance specifically bans any development or conversion activity related to large-scale data centers for the next 155 days. This applies to data centers with an electrical capacity of 10 Megawatts or greater, or industrial buildings 200,000 square feet or larger.

The decision comes amidst plans for data centers in neighboring communities, such as OpenAI's proposed data center in Effingham County, which recently finalized its contract with Georgia Power and the Public Service Commission. Across Georgia, there are currently 235 data centers operating, with over 4,700 nationwide and 750 more planned. Savannah city leaders believe this moratorium will allow them crucial time to draft a thoughtful policy on data centers and to study all potential aspects, including neighborhood and infrastructure impacts, water use, and noise.