Beshear defends executive order on data centers
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear is defending his recent executive order on data centers, which aims to protect against harmful impacts and give local communities a stronger voice in development. The order also seeks to prevent utilities from raising rates to cover data center costs, a point critics question regarding its legal authority. Governor Beshear insists the order is fully enforceable.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear is actively defending a new executive order concerning data centers, which he signed last week. The order's primary goal is to safeguard the state from what the Governor termed "harmful impacts" that could arise from potential data center developments. Furthermore, it aims to empower local communities by granting them a more substantial say in whether such projects are allowed to proceed.
The executive order has faced scrutiny, particularly regarding its legal enforceability. Critics have questioned the Governor's authority to direct the Public Service Commission to prevent utilities from increasing rates to subsidize data center costs. Despite these challenges, Governor Beshear maintains that the order is "fully enforceable." He asserted that companies will be required to present their development plans in strict adherence to the new rules and warned against underestimating its legal standing.