Riverside data center ban eyed for the end of 2026
Riverside City Councilmember Philip Falcone plans to introduce a moratorium on data centers, potentially leading to a permanent ban by the end of 2026, due to concerns over the city's struggling electricity grid and resource demands. This move follows discussions of a community data center project by iVETS and StemWorx Inc. The council is expected to vote on the ban in late 2024.
Riverside City Councilmember Philip Falcone is spearheading an effort to ban data centers from the city, citing concerns over electricity demand and resource strain. Falcone plans to introduce a moratorium during the council's Land Use Committee meeting on Sept. 14, which could evolve into a permanent ban. He envisions a ban on facilities dedicating 75% or more of their square footage to data storage, with a council vote anticipated in November or December.
The proposal comes amidst rumors of a new data center in Riverside, sparked by a June 18 Economic Development Committee agenda item. This item detailed a potential collaboration between the city, the nonprofit Veterans & Emerging Technology Skills (iVETS), and StemWorx Inc. The plan's second phase considered the development of a "community data center" operated by StemWorx, with workforce integration through iVETS, aimed at providing community access to AI at consistent rates. This proposal was later removed from a subsequent agenda for additional research.
Falcone emphasized that while Riverside may not attract mega-data centers, the city already struggles to meet its current electricity demands, making resource consumption a primary driver for the proposed ban. Other nearby cities in California, including Perris, Coachella, Desert Hot Springs, Indio, and Monterey Park, are also considering or have already implemented similar bans or moratoriums on data center development, reflecting a broader regional concern.