Where Wake County commissioner candidates stand on data centers
Six candidates for Wake County commissioner offered differing views on whether the county should impose a temporary moratorium on large or hyperscale data centers. Candidates cited concerns about electricity demand, water consumption, noise, environmental effects and potential costs to residents, while others favored project-by-project review and existing planning protections.
The Raleigh News & Observer surveyed six Wake County commissioner candidates about whether the county should pause large data center development in unincorporated areas and encourage municipalities to do the same. Candidates supporting a moratorium included Cheryl Kushner, Vickie Singh, David Stogoski and Adcock, who called for stronger protections involving water, energy, noise, air quality, land use and community impacts.
Candidates opposing a blanket pause, including Hartong and incumbent Jackson, said data centers should be evaluated individually or under existing long-range planning frameworks. Several candidates nevertheless supported new standards or cooperation with municipalities, including requirements for sustainable energy, closed-loop water systems and developers paying the full cost of their energy and infrastructure impacts.