Henderson mulls data center pause
Henderson officials are considering a 180-day moratorium on new data center permit approvals to study environmental impacts and city code changes. This move reflects growing statewide and national scrutiny over data centers' effects on air quality, heat generation, water, and energy use. Other Nevada localities like Nye County have already enacted moratoriums, and Boulder City residents are lobbying against a proposed project, while Clark County recently approved a Switch data center.
Henderson, Nevada, is contemplating a 180-day moratorium on new data center permit approvals, a decision driven by Mayor Michelle Romero's concerns and broader statewide skepticism regarding AI data centers' environmental impact. The city aims to use this pause to revise its codes, addressing issues such as air quality, heat generation, siting, and decommissioning. This move follows the conditional use permit approval last year for Trammell Crow Co. to develop a 300-acre data center campus on Henderson's outskirts.
The debate in Henderson mirrors a larger sentiment across Nevada, where communities are grappling with the significant energy and water demands of data centers. NV Energy has reported requests for 39 proposed data center projects, totaling a projected 16,530 megawatts, far exceeding the state's current peak load capacity of 8,241 megawatts. Environmental groups, like the Sierra Club's Toiyabe chapter led by executive director Olivia Tanager, are actively pushing for stricter oversight and local moratoriums, advocating for code updates before the 2027 legislative session.
While some localities, such as Nye County, have already enacted temporary data center moratoriums, and Boulder City residents are actively opposing a proposed project, others like Clark County have recently approved new data centers, including a project for Switch. The Southern Nevada Water Authority has already implemented a ban on evaporative cooling for new data centers in the region to conserve water. The Nevada Data Center Alliance, represented by Tray Abney, counters that data centers offer stable tax revenue and economic diversification, arguing that current fears are exaggerated. The ongoing discussions highlight a growing tension between economic development interests and environmental concerns, setting the stage for future legislative action.