Niles City Council to hold hearing on possible data center moratorium

Niles, Ohio, is confronting a divisive proposal for an AI data center, leading the City Council to schedule a public hearing for May 20 to deliberate on a potential moratorium on new data center construction. The community has shown widespread concern, with First Ward Councilman Doug Sollitto stating he received over 350 messages from residents expressing their "uproar." Second Ward Councilman Aaron Johnstone announced the upcoming hearing, where council members will vote on whether to enact a moratorium. This temporary halt is intended to provide time for collecting signatures across Ohio to place the issue on the ballot. The current unrest stems from a recent City Council meeting where hundreds of Niles residents voiced opposition to a proposed project by Singapore-based Bitdeer, which had requested the city to annex a section of Weathersfield Township for its data center on Belmont Avenue. Residents' primary concerns center on the potential strain the data center could place on the city's water supply and power grid.