Seattle data center ban defies national security warning

The Seattle City Council has unanimously approved an emergency moratorium on new large data center development, a decision that took immediate effect. The ban specifically targets facilities drawing more than 20 megavolt-amperes and will be in place while the city conducts studies on the impact of data centers on the electrical grid, water use, utility rates, land use, employment, and public health, with a report due by January 2027.

This vote occurred despite objections from Alex Fitzsimmons, the acting Undersecretary of Energy and Director of the Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response, who warned that such a ban weakens America's position in the AI technology race against China and raises national security and data sovereignty issues. Fitzsimmons criticized the political motivations behind the opposition, emphasizing the importance of building such technology in the United States.

The council's action followed reports that four unnamed companies had approached Seattle City Light to build five facilities, which collectively would demand approximately a third of the city's daily power load. The decision was heavily influenced by "near-unanimous public testimony" from activists, including groups like Socialist Alternative, who argued that data centers harm the environment, increase electricity costs, and only benefit billionaires, calling for a permanent ban. Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck echoed these concerns, stating that "If we do not legislate or regulate this right, the people will bear the brunt."