Spokane City Council weighs emergency moratorium on new data centers as Avista pauses negotiations
The Spokane City Council is considering a one-year emergency moratorium on new data center development due to public concerns over water use, environmental impact, and energy costs. This comes as the utility Avista has paused negotiations with an unnamed developer for a proposed 500-megawatt data center, citing a need for coordinated planning and existing customer protection.
The Spokane City Council is weighing an emergency ordinance to enact a one-year moratorium on new data center developments. This move is a response to growing public concern over the potential impacts of a proposed 500-megawatt data center in Eastern Washington, particularly regarding water usage, environmental effects, and increased energy costs. Council Member Sarah Dixit emphasized the need for city staff to understand the complexities of such large-scale projects, including water system and permitting processes, which are unprecedented for Spokane.
Concurrently, Avista, the utility slated to power the proposed facility, has independently suspended its negotiations with the unnamed developer. Avista CEO Heather Rosentrater stated the pause is necessary for coordinated planning and to ensure that existing customers are protected before committing to serving a customer of this magnitude. While Spokane County commissioners have not discussed a moratorium, Commissioner Chris Jordan supported Avista's decision, highlighting the importance of finding a regional path forward. Avista plans to engage with local government agencies to include public input in future data center discussions.