Lawmakers up transparency for data centers
Pennsylvania lawmakers passed a new measure as part of the state budget, mandating that data centers using over 10 MW of electricity annually must disclose their energy and water usage. While environmental advocates see this as a positive step towards transparency, they believe it is not yet a highly meaningful regulation.
Pennsylvania lawmakers recently passed a measure as part of the $50.8 billion state budget deal, requiring data centers that consume more than 10 MW of electricity annually to disclose their energy and water usage. This legislation was the only data center-related proposal to advance, despite a range of regulatory proposals considered in the months leading up to the budget deadline.
The new mandate covers most new data centers planned for Pennsylvania. Environmental advocates have acknowledged the change as a positive move towards greater transparency, but they also indicated that they do not consider it to be a particularly significant step in terms of overall regulation.
Spotlight PA, an independent, nonpartisan newsroom, provided coverage of this legislative development.