Avista pauses data center customer's service request
Avista has paused an energy service request from a 500-megawatt data center developer, citing widespread community concerns and a need for more coordinated planning. In response to public interest, the Spokane City Council has introduced an emergency ordinance to implement a one-year moratorium on new data center building permit applications.
Avista, an energy company, has announced a pause on an energy service request from an unnamed 500-megawatt data center developer. This decision comes after widespread community interest and concern regarding the potential data center project. Heather Rosentrater, Avista President and CEO, stated that the company heard feedback from customers, community members, and local leaders, recognizing the need for a broader coordinated planning effort.
Following the initial announcement of a proposed agreement with the customer, Spokane City Council members Paul Dillon, Sarah Dixit, and Kate Telis introduced an emergency ordinance. This ordinance aims to prevent the city from accepting or approving new building permit applications for computer data centers for a period of one year, reflecting the strong public reaction to the proposed development. Avista emphasized its history of serving large energy customers, but acknowledged that the recent scale of data center requests necessitates new considerations for planning and coordination among all involved entities.