Greensboro weighs 120-day pause on data centers, citing power and water use
Greensboro City Council is formally considering a 120-day moratorium on large data centers to study their impact on city resources, infrastructure, and the environment. The unanimous vote to begin the process follows concerns from residents regarding power and water consumption, with a public hearing scheduled for further feedback. This pause aims to inform potential amendments to the city's Land Development Ordinance for future data center regulations.
The Greensboro City Council unanimously voted to initiate the formal process for considering a 120-day moratorium on new large data centers. This decision, made on Monday, August 3, reversed a previous 5-4 vote on July 21. Council member Hugh Holston stated that additional discussions, new information about data centers, and feedback from residents contributed to the council's unanimous reconsideration.
The proposed moratorium would temporarily prevent the city from accepting, processing, or approving development applications for data centers requiring more than 10 megawatts of electrical power. The 120-day pause is intended to provide the city with time to thoroughly study the potential impacts of these facilities on Greensboro’s infrastructure, utilities, electrical grid, environment, and land use. The council also plans to consult with technical experts and review how other communities are managing data center development.
Residents have expressed significant concerns, particularly regarding the substantial resource demands of large data centers. Greensboro resident Chad Curran voiced his disappointment with the council's decision, emphasizing that a 10-megawatt data center can consume electricity equivalent to approximately 8,000 typical U.S. homes and millions of gallons of water annually for cooling. Curran stated his preference to keep data centers out of the area due to these anticipated burdens on local consumers and residents.
While an outright ban on data centers is not permissible under state law, Council member Holston indicated that the city can utilize its zoning and development rules to regulate various factors such as location, size, setbacks, noise, lighting, and resource usage. The information gathered during this moratorium period is expected to inform potential amendments to Greensboro’s Land Development Ordinance, leading to new city-specific regulations for future data center projects. A public hearing is scheduled for Monday, August 17, to gather additional input from residents, city staff, and experts.