Governor Mills Signs Executive Order to Establish Maine Data Center Advisory Council

Governor Janet Mills has signed an executive order to establish the Maine Data Center Advisory Council, a 15-person body charged with developing policy recommendations and strategies for large-scale data center development in Maine. The Council's mandate, to be delivered to the Governor and Legislature by January 29, 2027, focuses on protecting ratepayers, maintaining electric grid reliability, minimizing environmental impacts, and fostering responsible economic development. The Governor's order also directs the Department of Energy Resources, in coordination with the Maine Public Utilities Commission, to identify and implement measures to shield ratepayers from potential energy cost increases stemming from data center operations. This executive order follows Governor Mills' recent veto of LD 307, a bill that would have established a similar council while also imposing a temporary moratorium on data center projects. The Legislature sustained her veto. Governor Mills indicated her support for a temporary moratorium but opposed LD 307 due to its lack of an exemption for a data center project underway at the former Androscoggin Mill in Jay. Local entities including the Town of Jay, Franklin County Commissioners, and the regional Chamber of Commerce had advocated for this specific project, which is seen as crucial for the local economy after the mill's closure.