New reports show data center risk
Jackson residents are actively opposing a proposed data center, while a new report claims that data centers in Mississippi are causing residential electricity rates to increase by $10.60 per month. The report attributes this to a lack of transparency and legislative changes that curtailed regulatory oversight, leading to concerns about cost shifting to residents and potential stranded assets.
Residents in Jackson, Mississippi, are demonstrating strong opposition to a proposed data center development on approximately 190 acres near Forest Avenue and Interstate 220. Dozens of protestors recently crowded a Jackson Planning Board meeting to voice their concerns.
Adding to the debate, a new report by Synapse Energy Economics, prepared for Earthjustice and Environmental Advocates of Mississippi, indicates that data centers are already contributing to rising residential electricity rates in the state. This contradicts earlier assurances from Entergy officials that data centers would reduce residential bills. The report estimates that Entergy's residential ratepayers in Mississippi have already paid approximately $38 million as of March 2026 for data center-related investments, projected to reach $74 million by the end of 2026, resulting in an average monthly bill increase of $10.60.
The Synapse report highlights that the Mississippi Legislature's passage of Senate Bill 2001 (SB2001) curtailed the Public Service Commission's (PSC) oversight role, making it easier to expand the electrical grid for data centers. This legislative action transferred significant risk to residential consumers by limiting transparency, especially regarding the confidential rates paid by large-load customers like Amazon. The report suggests that if data center rates are below their cost of service, residential customers effectively subsidize these facilities.
Concerns also extend to the prospect of