NC bill pushes to regulate data centers
North Carolina lawmakers are fast-tracking a bill, Senate Bill 730, to regulate data centers statewide, addressing concerns like water usage, energy costs, and noise impacts. Concurrently, the Charlotte City Council is set to vote on a 150-day data center moratorium to establish local regulations. The state bill also includes a controversial provision to fast-track Duke Energy's nuclear power plants.
North Carolina lawmakers are expediting Senate Bill 730, a comprehensive piece of legislation aimed at regulating data centers across the state. The bill, which passed the House and now returns to the Senate, proposes requirements for data centers, including minimizing water usage in cooling systems, protecting residents from increased energy costs, and examining noise impacts on nearby homes and schools.
Simultaneously, the Charlotte City Council is preparing to vote on a 150-day data center moratorium, a temporary pause intended to give city officials time to develop their own local regulations. Charlotte City Councilman JD Mezuera Arias supports the moratorium, citing concerns about data centers' high water consumption, especially during drought conditions. The state bill also includes a contentious clause to fast-track new nuclear power plants for Duke Energy, which has drawn criticism from some Democrats, including Representative Jordan Lopez, who argue that the energy provision should be handled separately from data center regulations. Republicans, however, maintain that increasing energy production is crucial for the state.