As datacenters expand, so does public opposition to them

Anti-datacenter sentiment is growing in the United States and United Kingdom, with more jurisdictions blocking new facilities and protesters marching against planned sites. Concerns over electricity bills, water supplies, and large warehouse-like structures looming over homes have fueled opposition. Over 200 bans and moratoriums have been enacted in the United States in the past 30 days, bringing the total of active restrictions nationwide to over 550.

New York became the first state to enact a moratorium last month, citing worries about the impact on utility rates and public health from large hyperscale facilities consuming at least 50 MW of power. Texas Governor Greg Abbott recently paused approvals for datacenter projects seeking access to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) grid until state regulators audit their connection requests.

A Gallup survey found that a majority of Americans now oppose datacenters being built in their areas, with many expressing such strong opposition that they would prefer a nuclear power plant instead. President Trump's stance on the issue is mixed, as he initially expanded his Ratepayer Protection Pledge to protect American consumers from price hikes due to additional energy and grid infrastructure needs, but also defended Texas' decision to pause approvals, citing tax benefits.

The UK government sees building new datacenters as vital for growing the AI industry and has streamlined planning processes in AI Growth Zones, but protesters recently demonstrated against a proposed 5,200 sq m datacenter in London's Brick Lane area, a 56,000 sq ft facility designed for 5.2 MW of IT capacity. Despite opposition from local campaigners, four appeals to allow the development were upheld by Tower Hamlets council following a public inquiry.