Maine Enacts Moratorium on Large Data Centers

Maine has become the first U.S. state to endorse a moratorium on the construction of large data centers, passing a bill that aims to pause projects exceeding an electrical capacity of 20 megawatts until November next year. This legislative move responds to mounting concerns over the rapid growth of data centers driven by the AI boom, which raises significant implications for local energy costs and environmental sustainability. The bill, now awaiting the approval of Governor Janet Mills, establishes a council tasked with assessing the potential risks and benefits of proposed data center projects.