Some community groups are marching on the state capitol Wednesday morning to demand a three-year moratorium on new data centers. Pennsylvania lawmakers have pushed a flurry of bills aimed at regulating data centers, but it's unclear which of them will make it to Gov. Josh Shapiro's desk. Many residents in Philadelphia's collar counties would rather just say no.
New natural gas projects linked to 11 data center campuses around the US have the potential to create more greenhouse gases than the country of Morocco emitted in 2024. They are being built to power data centers to serve some of the US’s most powerful AI companies, including OpenAI, Meta, Microsoft, and xAI.
Data centers have been a bright spot in a weak construction market. Now developers chasing gigawatt data centers have found many projects are stalling before construction crews ever break ground. Access to power is one key hurdle. Community and political groups have opposed the projects, leading to delays or abandonments. Long-lead electrical equipment is also a problem.
Two data centers are planned for Matagorda County, Texas. Residents are concerned about energy usage and water use. Barrio Energy says it will not drill wells and will not require water from the city. "What we want in our county should matter"
Elon Musk has called building AI data centers in space a "no-brainer" but SpaceX is warning investors that it may not become a viable business. The company is preparing for what could be the largest IPO in history. It is seeking to raise $75 billion in coming months.