Maine Weighs First-in-Nation Pause on Data Center Construction

Maine is moving forward with legislation to pause large data center development in what would be a first of its kind state-level freeze in the US.

The Maine House of Representatives passed a bill last month that would halt permitting for data centers larger than 20 megawatts until November 2027. The state Senate is now reviewing the proposed moratorium, which Governor Janet Mills, a Democrat, has signaled she supports, with some modifications. The legislation would also establish a state council to assess both the economic opportunities posed by data centers and the risks to ratepayers, grid reliability and the ...