Developer of data center for Jay mill seeks exemption to proposed state law

JGT2 Redevelopment is advocating for an exemption from a proposed Maine state law, LD 307, which threatens to halt their planned data center project at the former Androscoggin Mill site in Jay. Tony McDonald, a partner in JGT2 Redevelopment, appealed to the Jay Select Board, emphasizing that their co-location data center project, estimated at $550 million with potential for 800-1,000 construction jobs and 125-150 permanent positions, would not strain local resources. The project is designed to operate on existing electrical infrastructure without grid upgrades and use a closed-loop cooling system requiring significantly less water than the former paper mill, addressing common concerns about data centers. McDonald argued that LD 307, sponsored by Rep. Melanie Sachs, D-Freeport, which proposes a temporary limitation on data centers with electricity loads of 20 megawatts or more until around October 2027, would "kill this project" due to its two-year timeline. The Select Board voted to have Town Manager Shiloh LaFreniere draft a letter of support to Governor Janet Mills for the exemption. Regional officials, including Livermore Falls resident John Benedetto, also support the project, seeing it as a vital economic redevelopment for a region impacted by the paper industry's decline, contrasting it with the larger hyperscale facilities that have faced opposition elsewhere in Maine, such as in Lewiston and Wiscasset.