Athens-Clarke County Commission Extends Moratorium on Data Centers

The Athens-Clarke County Commission has voted to extend a moratorium on new data centers for another three months while they work on an ordinance to restrict or potentially ban their construction. Commissioners are concerned about the extreme impact of data centers on the community and are considering an outright ban, as well as requirements for data centers to use closed-loop cooling systems and generate their own clean energy. They are also waiting to see what the Georgia state legislature does, as lawmakers are considering bills related to data center oversight and a statewide construction moratorium.