Where does Amish Shah stand on data centers?
Democratic congressional candidate Amish Shah opposes new data centers in Arizona’s 1st Congressional District, citing the region’s water shortage, extreme heat and rising electricity costs. Republican challenger Jay Feely supports AI data center development, arguing the United States must compete with China, making the issue a key point in the district’s congressional race.
Democrat Amish Shah is campaigning against new data centers in Arizona’s 1st Congressional District, which includes Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Cave Creek, Fountain Hills and parts of Phoenix. He says drought, limited water supplies, extreme heat and the potential impact on household electricity bills make the district unsuitable for additional facilities. Shah supports data center development elsewhere in the country where water and energy resources are more abundant.
Republican candidate Jay Feely supports expanding AI data centers, saying the United States must win the global competition with China. The candidates’ positions come amid concerns about water use, higher utility costs and localized heat impacts, as well as Arizona’s end to tax incentives for qualifying data centers. The state’s tax changes prompted developers to submit applications before a related moratorium took effect, while Arizona Public Service is seeking a 14% rate increase from the Arizona Corporation Commission.