Fiber expansion in western Maine tied to Jay data center project

Maine Governor Janet Mills vetoed 'An Act to Establish the Maine Data Center Coordination Council and Place a Temporary Limitation on Certain Data Centers,' a bill proposing a statewide moratorium on large-scale data centers with electric loads of 20 megawatts or more until November 2027. The bill, which passed both the House (79-62) and Senate (21-13) before reaching the governor's desk, also aimed to create a Data Center Coordination Council to study potential impacts and develop policy recommendations. Governor Mills stated her support for a temporary moratorium in principle, acknowledging concerns about environmental impacts and electricity rates. However, she emphasized that the bill failed to include an exemption for a specific data center redevelopment project at the former Androscoggin Mill in Jay. She highlighted the economic importance of this $550 million project, which is projected to create over 800 construction jobs and at least 100 permanent positions, and contribute significant property tax revenue to the town, particularly following the mill's closure in 2023. Developers, including The Boulos Company, plan to reuse existing industrial infrastructure to minimize environmental impact. With the veto unlikely to be overridden due to the lack of a two-thirds majority in either legislative chamber, the Jay project and others in Maine can move forward. The state will now pursue studying data center impacts through an executive order instead of a formal moratorium. The project in Jay is scheduled to begin demolition as early as July, with operational readiness anticipated by early 2028, and a state Site Location of Development permit requiring updates.