Avista pauses data center request in Spokane; City Council delays moratorium vote
Avista Utilities has paused a large data center request in Spokane, Washington, citing concerns over energy and water usage and a need for coordinated planning with local governments. This decision comes as community members voiced opposition, and the Spokane City Council delayed a vote on a proposed temporary data center moratorium.
Avista Utilities has announced a pause in processing a large data center request in Spokane, Washington, following community scrutiny over the significant energy and water demands of such facilities. The unnamed data center project sought up to 500 megawatts, which Avista confirmed is equivalent to more than half the power needs of all residential and commercial businesses in Spokane County.
Heather Rosentrater, CEO and president of Avista, stated that the utility needs more time to align with local governments and communities to develop a transparent and thoughtful planning process for similar requests. This decision by Avista comes amidst active community opposition, including a Change.org petition and planned rally. Concurrently, the Spokane City Council, which was slated to vote on an emergency moratorium to temporarily halt data center development, opted to delay their vote in light of Avista's announcement.