No nuclear carveout for Linn County data center moratorium
Linn County, Iowa, will maintain its 18-month moratorium on data center development in unincorporated areas, rejecting a proposed carveout for projects co-located with nuclear energy facilities. This decision, influenced by unfavorable public feedback, impacts a proposed Google data center near the Duane Arnold Energy Center. County officials plan to use the moratorium period to study the cumulative effects of data centers, review zoning, and complete a water resource study.
The Linn County Board of Supervisors in Iowa has decided to uphold its 18-month moratorium on data center development in unincorporated areas, declining to create an exception for facilities located alongside nuclear energy sites. The board had initially expressed interest in such a carveout when it approved the moratorium last month on a 2-1 vote.
The proposed exception would have allowed discussions to continue for a Google data center project near the Duane Arnold Energy Center by Palo, where owners NextEra Energy aim to restart operations by 2029. Google has already secured a 25-year energy purchase contract with NextEra. However, Supervisor Brandy Meisheid noted that public feedback on the potential carveout was largely unfavorable, leading the board to abandon the exception at this time.
The moratorium will remain in effect across all unincorporated areas of Linn County. Officials intend to use this period to conduct studies on the cumulative impacts of data center development on residents and resources, review existing zoning codes, and complete a water resource study. Linn County Planning and Development Director Charlie Nichols indicated that while the moratorium should not affect the Duane Arnold Energy Center's restart timeline, it could impact the plant's future growth plans.