Henderson considers data center pause amid construction boom across Clark County
The City of Henderson is considering a temporary moratorium on new data center construction amidst a regional boom. Other Nevada municipalities are moving forward with development, while public opposition persists due to environmental and electricity grid concerns. The state has already banned evaporative cooling for new data centers, but existing facilities like Google's in Henderson continue to use significant water.
The City of Henderson is contemplating a temporary moratorium on new data center construction, with its city council voting to consider a 180-day ban at an upcoming July 21 meeting. The staff report cited concerns regarding electricity demand, environmental impacts, and land use compatibility, recommending deeper analysis.
This consideration comes as other Southern Nevada jurisdictions are advancing data center projects. For instance, Switch, a data center facility company, recently acquired significant land in southern Las Vegas and North Las Vegas for new facilities, and the Clark County Planning Commission approved a 57,000-square-foot expansion of an existing Switch facility. This approval occurred despite public opposition, where more than a dozen individuals testified against the expansion, citing environmental concerns and potential strain on Nevada's electrical grid. Commissioner Michael Naft noted the approved Switch expansion uses 100 percent renewable energy and dry-cooling.
The broader context includes a national debate over data center incentives and their resource demands. Reno and Humboldt County have already enacted data center moratoriums. Nevada has also implemented a ban on new data centers using evaporative cooling techniques since 2023 due to water conservation concerns. However, the Google data center in Henderson, which predates the ban, was identified as a significant water consumer, using 352 million gallons in 2024.