Community, business leaders back Hochul’s pause on hyperscale data centers
Governor Kathy Hochul hosted a roundtable in Albany, New York, to defend her recently enacted moratorium on hyperscale data centers using 50 megawatts or more. Various community and business leaders expressed support for the pause, emphasizing concerns about energy strain, community resources, and environmental impacts, while acknowledging the potential benefits of data centers. The moratorium allows time for studying these issues and ensuring planned development.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul convened a roundtable discussion at the New York State Capitol in Albany on Thursday, July 16, 2026, to publicly defend her recently imposed moratorium on new hyperscale data centers. The pause specifically targets data centers projected to consume 50 megawatts of power or more, stemming from the Governor's concerns about the strain on community resources, potential long-term consequences of abandoned facilities, and the issue of tax breaks for such companies.
Assemblymember Didi Barrett, chair of the Committee on Energy, highlighted the significant energy demands, citing a NYISO report that 30 large data centers currently seeking interconnection could collectively match New York City's total power consumption. Councilmember Owusu Anane of the Albany Common Council underscored the importance of the pause for public education on the potential environmental and utility bill impacts.
While acknowledging the economic value of data centers, such as compute power, Robert Simpson, CEO of CenterState Corporation for Economic Opportunity, noted that few projects meet their community value thresholds. Other speakers, including Orange County orchard co-owner Jeff Crist, Malta Town Supervisor Cynthia Young, Kingston Mayor Steve Noble, and Scenic Hudson President Ned Sullivan, broadly supported the careful planning afforded by the moratorium, aiming to ensure data centers are sited appropriately with adequate protections for water and air, and provide community benefits. Laurie Wheelock of the Public Utilities Law Project and Deshanna Wiggins of the Albany Black Chamber of Commerce also backed the pause, emphasizing its role in allowing stakeholders to address concerns about electricity reliability and costs.