Nevada gubernatorial candidates weigh in on data centers
Nevada's gubernatorial candidates, Joe Lombardo and Aaron Ford, are making data centers a key issue in their campaigns, with debates focusing on tax abatements, water, and electricity consumption. Ford proposes stricter regulations, including self-sufficiency for data centers in energy and water, while Lombardo highlights job creation and suggests future mandates if needed. Both agree on the need for local community involvement.
Nevada's gubernatorial race features incumbent Governor Joe Lombardo, a Republican, and Attorney General Aaron Ford, a Democrat, clashing over the impact and regulation of data centers in the state. Ford's campaign has launched ads criticizing "tax giveaways" to data centers and advocating for them to use their own energy and water, rather than straining local resources. He points to rising concerns among voters across party lines regarding hyperscale-AI data centers' demands on water in the desert climate and electricity.
Governor Lombardo, on the other hand, stated in a June interview that average data centers consume less water than 25-50 homes and do not cause higher utility rates for residents. He supports data centers for the hundreds of construction jobs they create, though Ford questions the long-term job impact. Both candidates agree on the importance of local community input on data center developments. Ford, if elected, plans to audit existing state tax abatements for data centers to ensure they are meeting their agreements, while Lombardo indicates tougher regulations could be mandated in the future if necessary. Former President Donald Trump was also mentioned, having praised data centers as essential for community wealth and tax reduction.