Politicians are fighting to win voters trust amid rising utility costs
Data centers have become a major political issue in New York amid rising electricity costs, particularly in the congressional race involving Rockland County. Gov. Kathy Hochul enacted a one-year moratorium on new large-scale data centers, while critics argue the pause could discourage economic development and candidates debate local control and energy impacts.
Rising utility costs have made electricity a central issue in New York’s 2026 elections, with data centers emerging as a related flashpoint. Gov. Kathy Hochul has promoted a one-year statewide moratorium on new large-scale data centers as a way to protect consumers from potentially higher power bills. The moratorium exempts smaller facilities, including many of those in Rockland County.
The policy has become a point of contention in the 17th Congressional District race. Democratic candidate Cait Conley supports the moratorium and says data centers should have local support and produce a net benefit, while Republican Rep. Mike Lawler argues communities should control individual projects and says criticism of his position is unfounded. Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman has also criticized the pause as harmful to a fast-growing industry, while Hochul’s campaign says data centers should pay for the energy they consume.