Overview
- Research groups say opposition has escalated to the point that at least 75 data‑center projects were delayed or cancelled in the first three months of 2026, and active local opposition groups more than doubled over the same period.
- States and cities are acting: New York’s legislature passed a one‑year moratorium on large centers and dozens of local moratoria or zoning limits have been adopted in places such as North Carolina and Massachusetts.
- Federal scrutiny is rising as Senator Elizabeth Warren has opened inquiries into private‑equity and utility deals that finance data‑center power needs, arguing ratepayers could end up covering grid upgrades.
- Industry surveys show operators are changing plans: Bloom Energy projects AI sites will account for about 23% of new capacity by 2030 and many developers plan to rely much more on on‑site power and varied cooling designs.
- Water risks are mounting globally as CEEW estimates India’s data‑center water use could climb from roughly 150 billion litres in 2024–25 to about 358 billion litres by 2030, underscoring that cooling choices and site selection will determine local impacts.