Texas and New York enact temporary moratoriums on data center approvals
Both Texas and New York have implemented temporary moratoriums on new data center approvals and permitting. Texas Governor Abbott halted new data center approvals until power regulators and grid managers can audit existing facilities for grid compliance. New York Governor Hochul issued a year-long executive order to pause permitting for new large data centers.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul and Texas Governor Greg Abbott have independently moved to implement temporary moratoriums on data center development in their respective states. These actions reflect a growing trend of governmental intervention concerning the rapid expansion of data centers.
In Texas, Governor Abbott has issued a directive halting approvals for new data centers until the state's power regulators, the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC), and grid managers, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), can complete an audit of existing facilities. This audit aims to ensure that data centers seeking to connect to the state's grid comply with all requirements, with Abbott emphasizing that