Data center in Jay put on pause after developers withdraw
The planned AI-powered data center project at the former Androscoggin mill site in Jay, Maine, is on hold after Sentinel Data Centers withdrew. Town officials are now seeking other companies to take over the development. This comes after Governor Janet Mills vetoed a bill for a statewide data center moratorium that did not include an exemption for the Jay project.
The proposed AI-powered data center project at the former Androscoggin mill site in Jay, Maine, has been indefinitely paused. Developers had initially aimed for a groundbreaking next month, but the town of Jay publicly announced the project's halt via a Facebook post.
Town officials stated that Sentinel Data Centers, the project's developer, informed the mill property owners, JGT2 Redevelopment, of their decision to withdraw. State Representative Amy Roeder, a Democrat from Bangor, expressed a lack of surprise, citing past instances where communities were promised developments that did not materialize. Roeder had supported a bill to implement a statewide moratorium on new data centers in Maine. However, Governor Janet Mills vetoed the measure because it did not include an exemption for the Jay project, which her office asserted had significant local and regional backing. Efforts by lawmakers to override the governor's veto were unsuccessful.
State Representative Sheila Lyman, a Republican representing Jay, conveyed disappointment regarding Sentinel Data Centers' decision and is actively seeking details on their withdrawal. The town of Jay confirmed that JGT2 Redevelopment is currently in discussions with other interested parties for the site's future. News Center Maine has attempted to contact both Sentinel Data Centers and JGT2 Redevelopment for comments but has not yet received a response.