New York Data Center Construction Freeze

planned

New York State, under Governor Kathy Hochul, has become the first in the nation to freeze construction of new data centers that use 50 megawatts or more of power. This pause on state environmental permits is for up to a year to establish a framework to protect the environment, energy grid, and assist residents with their electrical bills. The freeze follows a one-year moratorium passed by the New York state legislature on data centers with a peak load of more than 20 megawatts. The Trump administration criticized this decision, emphasizing the economic benefits of data centers and urging a policy change.