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DOE directs data centers to use backup generators during heat wave | CNN
Energy Secretary Chris Wright orders mid-Atlantic data centers onto backup power during a heat wave pushing heat indexes past 100 degrees from Washington to New York City, freeing grid capacity for home air conditioning. The Energy Department cites 35 gigawatts of available backup generation nationwide, though diesel and gas generators used as backup raise local…
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How Virginia became the world’s data center capital and how it’s going • Virginia Mercury
Loudoun County collects roughly $1.3 billion a year in data center tax revenue, while Virginia's sales-tax exemption for the industry has grown to about $1.9 billion in annual foregone state revenue. Virginia's rise from AOL's 1997 Ashburn arrival continues through this year's budget fight, which added a 1.1-cent-per-kilowatt-hour energy tax and new water and noise…
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Big Tech’s Affordability Fight is Finally Here | TechPolicy.Press
Big Tech faces scrutiny over the economic costs of data centers, as rising utility bills and tax breaks impact consumers and state budgets. With a growing public backlash, tech companies are pledging to address these issues amid political pressures, particularly as affordability becomes a key electoral concern. Recent polls indicate that many voters believe data…
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What a boom in building and operating data centers means for Wisconsin’s workforce
Thousands of construction workers build Wisconsin's data centers, but permanent operations jobs number in the low hundreds at $23–$48 per hour — most requiring no specialized degree. The gulf between temporary construction surges and lasting local employment challenges industry claims that data center projects deliver transformative workforce benefits.
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‘A muzzle on elected officials’: NDAs ‘cloak’ Louisiana’s biggest business developments | WWNO
At least 50 Louisiana elected officials signed nondisclosure agreements under Gov. Landry, blocking public discussion of major economic development projects including Amazon's $12 billion Shreveport data center campuses. WWNO reports on how the practice prevents residents from learning the costs, risks and tradeoffs of large-scale industrial deals shaping their communities.
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Senators Demand to Know How Much Energy Data Centers Use | WIRED
No federal agency collects energy-use data from data centers. Senators Warren and Hawley press the EIA to require comprehensive annual disclosures for grid planning and ratepayer protection.
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Data Center Energy Demand Should be Contested
Data center power demand distorts energy markets and strains grids. Climate & Community Institute calls for democratic grid planning and moratoriums over accommodating Big Tech's load growth.
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Virginia Data Centers Face Seven-Year Wait for Power Hookups, Dominion Says
Dominion Energy projects a seven-year wait for large data centers seeking grid connections in Virginia, up from four years. The extended timeline targets facilities drawing more than 100 megawatts and reflects a surge in interconnection requests straining the state's power infrastructure.
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Leaked bulletin shows police treating anti-AI data center posts as potential extremism
A leaked law enforcement bulletin from the Delaware Valley Intelligence Center flags online criticism of AI data centers near Philadelphia as potential domestic extremism. The document treats utility bill complaints and planned protests as threat indicators despite no specific violent plans. Civil rights attorney Paul Hetznecker said the bulletin equates protected First Amendment activity with…
Exposing AI Data Center Threats and Harms