Ayotte’s Data Center Policies Draw Scrutiny Over Bloom Energy Stock Holdings
Gov. Kelly Ayotte is facing scrutiny over her continued ownership of Bloom Energy stock, reportedly worth nearly $1 million, while shifting from supporting data center expansion to proposing a statewide moratorium. Ayotte signed legislation easing oversight for certain off-grid power providers, while Democratic challenger Cinde Warmington has called for an immediate pause on large data center construction.
New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte’s data center policy reversal has drawn questions about her financial ties to the industry. The Lever reported that Ayotte served on Bloom Energy’s board from 2017 to 2019 and may still own more than 4,400 shares in the company, which supplies fuel-cell systems used by data centers. The stake was valued at nearly $1 million when the report was published, but Ayotte has not disclosed whether she sold it.
Ayotte signed House Bill 672 in 2025, allowing qualified off-grid power providers to arrange deals and build projects without review by the New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission. After a proposed project in Nottingham faced strong opposition and was withdrawn, Ayotte began supporting a multiyear statewide data center moratorium that could not take effect before July 2027. Democratic challenger Cinde Warmington has criticized Ayotte’s record and promised to halt large data center construction by executive order if elected, while Republican Senate nominee John E. Sununu has defended continued development and disclosed holdings in companies including Microsoft, Nvidia and Equinix.