Fort Worth Weighing Several Data Center Measures, Including 90 Day Pause on New Projects
The Fort Worth City Council is considering a 90-day moratorium on new data center projects, along with establishing a new data center commission and regulations. These regulations would require data centers to obtain approval from state agencies like the Public Utilities Commission and ERCOT. Fort Worth would be the largest city in Texas to enact such a moratorium.
The Fort Worth City Council is currently engaged in a significant discussion regarding data center developments, including the potential initiation of a 90-day moratorium on new data center projects. This consideration follows a similar move by the city of Lavon, which signed a moratorium last week. If Fort Worth proceeds, it would become the largest city in Texas to implement such a pause on data center construction.
In addition to the moratorium, the city is deliberating the formation of a new data center commission. They are also considering implementing new regulations that would mandate data centers seeking approval within the city to secure clearances from several state agencies, notably the Public Utilities Commission and ERCOT (Electrical Reliability Council of Texas). Public comment on these controversial topics was ongoing for about an hour and a half at the time of the report.