AG Mayes calls for statewide pause on new data center construction
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes is advocating for a statewide pause on new data center construction due to concerns about rising electricity costs and dwindling Colorado River water supplies. Her proposal follows local opposition in Pinal County, where a data center rezoning request was recently denied, and ongoing concerns in Ahwatukee regarding a planned hyperscale project. Mayes cites data centers' high power and water consumption as unsustainable given Arizona's current resource challenges.
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes has called for a statewide moratorium on the approval of new data centers, particularly large-scale "hyperscale" AI projects. Announcing her request on Monday, AG Mayes urged state lawmakers and Governor Katie Hobbs to enact legislation to pause further data center development. She underscored the critical issues of escalating electricity bills and a recent nearly 30% reduction in Arizona's Colorado River water allocation, arguing that data centers' intense power and water demands are unsustainable for the state's challenged resources.
Mayes highlighted a recent instance in Pinal County where the Board of Supervisors rejected a rezoning request for a significant data center project, effectively halting it, after strong community opposition. She also referenced an ongoing planned hyperscale data center project in Ahwatukee, where she plans to hold a town hall on October 14th to address community concerns. The Attorney General cited a 2025 analysis by Ceres, which projected a 450% increase in data center-related water demand in the greater Phoenix area if all planned projects proceed. Additionally, an Arizona State University study was mentioned, indicating that even air-cooled data centers could increase local temperatures by up to 4 degrees. Mayes concluded that Arizona is highly vulnerable to the adverse effects of unchecked data center expansion and emphasized the state's obligation to better manage its water and power before issuing new approvals.