Data center activity in New Hampshire
New Hampshire presents a mixed picture where opposition carries real weight, with at least five projects blocked. On the other hand, moratorium efforts have struggled, with at least two rejected against one enacted, and at least one proposed regulatory restriction was turned down. The state's environment has improved over the past quarter, and at least 13 companies are active. Limited media coverage means this assessment rests on relatively few reported outcomes, though New Hampshire still looks more accessible than neighboring Massachusetts.
New Hampshire presents a mixed picture where opposition carries real weight, with at least five projects blocked. On the other hand, moratorium efforts have struggled, with at least two rejected against one enacted, and at least one proposed regulatory restriction was turned down. The state's environment has improved over the past quarter, and at least 13 companies are active. Limited media coverage means this assessment rests on relatively few reported outcomes, though New Hampshire still looks more accessible than neighboring Massachusetts.
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Concord’s Planning Board deferred a decision on Levitate Inc.’s proposed micro data center on Locke Road after residents raised concerns about its electricity use, grid impacts, noise, wetlands and cooling-fluid leaks. The board requested additional technical information and scheduled a continued hearing for Nov. 18.
New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte and Democratic candidate Cinde Warmington debated data center policy during a gubernatorial debate in Manchester. Warmington criticized Ayotte for not supporting proposed data center moratorium and restriction bills, while Ayotte defended her position and cited opposition to projects in Nottingham and Bow.
New Hampshire gubernatorial candidates Kelly Ayotte and Cinde Warmington both support a moratorium on data centers but differ on how restrictions should be implemented. Ayotte favors a statewide ban, while Warmington supports a moratorium with strong local control and environmental and taxpayer protections.
New Hampshire gubernatorial candidates Kelly Ayotte and Cinde Warmington agreed during a Manchester forum that the state should impose a moratorium on new data centers. They cited energy costs, environmental impacts and concerns about the state’s natural resources, while disagreeing over Ayotte’s past handling of the issue and whether she could halt projects by executive order.
Levitate Inc. is seeking approval to build an 8,160-square-foot micro data center at 52 Locke Road in Concord. The project is scheduled for a Planning Board public hearing and uses immersion cooling and heat recovery to reduce water consumption, while the applicant plans to restore wetland buffer damaged by earlier clear-cutting.
Residents in Nottingham, New Hampshire, mounted strong opposition to a proposed data center conversion, prompting the developer to withdraw its initial plan. The town later approved a one-year moratorium on data center construction, while residents in nearby Bow are opposing a potential 350-megawatt project at the former Merrimack Station power plant.
A proposed data center conversion at a 200,000-square-foot warehouse in Nottingham, New Hampshire, drew more than 25,000 petition signatures and intense local opposition over water, ecological, noise and energy concerns. The developer withdrew the proposal, and Nottingham voters later approved a one-year moratorium on data center construction while the town considers permanent zoning restrictions.
An AI company is proposing a micro data center in Concord, New Hampshire, and says the design could represent the future of data center deployment. The Concord facility would reportedly be among the first locations where the company deploys the concept.
Levitate Inc. is seeking approval to build a 15-megawatt micro data center at 52 Locke Road in East Concord. The Concord Planning Board will hold a public hearing on the project, which uses closed-loop immersion cooling and includes a plan to restore wetlands disturbed by prior logging.
Gov. Kelly Ayotte said she plans to propose a statewide moratorium on new data centers in New Hampshire as part of her upcoming budget. She cited concerns about the facilities’ electricity and water demands, environmental effects and noise, and said she has opposed proposals in Nottingham and Bow.
New Hampshire Democratic gubernatorial nominee Cinde Warmington said she would impose a temporary moratorium on large-scale data centers and establish state guardrails for their development. She cited concerns about electricity rates, water consumption, noise, environmental impacts and the need for local input, highlighting a threatened project in Bow and a prior call for a moratorium in Nottingham.
New Hampshire gubernatorial candidates agree that the state should pause permits for new data centers, but they differ over timing and implementation. Gov. Kelly Ayotte supports including a moratorium in the next state budget, while challenger Cinde Warmington says she would impose one immediately, citing grid, energy-cost, water and environmental concerns.
All 16 Republican New Hampshire senators voted to remove proposed noise, setback and power-use checks from a data center bill. The vote was followed by thousands of dollars in contributions from the New Hampshire Home Builders Association PAC to Republican senators, while the bill later died after being tabled by the House.
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Cinde Warmington criticized Gov. Kelly Ayotte over her data center policies in New Hampshire. Warmington said Ayotte signed legislation allowing data centers to use off-grid power and is only now proposing a moratorium, which would not take effect until next year if included in the state budget.
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin discussed data center development and the consequences of state-imposed moratoriums during a visit to New Hampshire. He said the EPA is not dictating whether states or local communities allow data centers, but is sharing information and best practices on issues such as water reuse.
Keene Mayor Jay Kahn discussed a proposed data center moratorium during his monthly WKBK appearance. He said the pause would give the city time to define data centers and develop local rules, distinguishing the existing relatively small FirstLight facility from a potential 300,000-square-foot, five-gigawatt operation.
Residents of Bow, New Hampshire, rallied against a rumored data center, making the town a focal point in the state’s growing debate over AI infrastructure. The controversy includes concerns about data center expansion and its effects on power grids.
Hooksett’s Planning Board is considering a one-year moratorium on data center development for voters to decide in March. Members cited concerns about water consumption, limited water capacity and the need for clearer regulations, while the proposal remains under review.
A Bow, New Hampshire resident and environmental advocate is urging Congress to pass the PRICE and Data Center Transparency Acts to address the environmental and health impacts of data centers. This follows a local meeting and rally in Bow where residents raised concerns about a possible AI data center and requested a moratorium on new facilities. The proposed federal legislation aims to mandate clean energy for large data centers and require federal agencies to report on their environmental and consumer impacts.
The Keene Planning Board has endorsed a one-year halt on new large-scale data center approvals, specifically targeting facilities for artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency mining. This proposed moratorium will allow city officials to develop specific zoning ordinances and study the potential impacts of these projects on local resources like water and electricity.