Maine poised to be first state to pause large data center approvals
AI data center response
Paul Gigot, Kim Strassel, Allyssia Finley, and Jason Riley discuss the growing backlash against AI data centers. Bernie Sanders and AOC introduced legislation imposing a nationwide moratorium on new data center construction, citing environmental concerns, rising electricity prices and potential layoffs. The panel explores the economic implications and highlights the lack of clear evidence to support claims that rising energy costs are directly tied to data centres.
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Maine is on the verge of becoming the first state in the nation to put the brakes on energy-hungry AI data centers as lawmakers push back against tech giants over fears of higher electric bills, strained grids and environmental impacts.
The measure, now sent to Democratic Gov. Janet Mills, would pause approvals for data centers requiring more than 20 megawatts of power until October 2027, and a state-appointed council would study their impact on the electric grid, energy bills and the environment.
The legislation passed 79-62 in the state’s Democrat-controlled House and 21-13 in the Senate, making it one of the most aggressive moves yet against the rapid expansion of data centers tied to artificial intelligence and Big Tech.
Supporters say the pause is necessary to protect residents from the massive energy demands of “hyperscale” facilities that can consume as much electricity as small cities.
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The Douglas County Google Data Center complex is seen in Lithia Springs, Ga., on March 6, 2026. (Mike Stewart/AP)
“The issue is not that there isn’t room for data centers in Maine,” Democratic Rep. Melanie Sachs, who sponsored the measure, told the Associated Press. “Frankly, the trade-offs have not been shown to benefit our taxpayers, water use, or society in terms of economic activity.”
Opposition to data centers is growing across the country as communities raise alarms about strained power grids, high electric bills and heavy water usage. Analysts have warned that parts of the US grid could face reliability problems in the coming years if demand continues to rise.
In February, Sens. Josh Hawley, R-Mo. and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., have introduced a bill aimed at ensuring that data centers’ electricity costs are not passed on to American consumers.
As the expansion of artificial intelligence strains the grid, a new proposal would require tech firms to fund their own power needs. (Sameer Al-Doumy/AFP)
At least 11 other states are considering restrictions similar to Maine’s, but Maine’s bill is the first to pass both legislatures and potentially sets a precedent.
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Critics argue the move could eliminate investment and jobs.
“We think these data centers can bring good jobs and good opportunities to these areas,” Montana Towers, a policy analyst with the free-market Maine Policy Institute, told the AP. “And a lot of these concerns about them are inherently absurd.”
A car drives by the Digital Realty Data Center building in Ashburn, Virginia, on March 17, 2025. (Leah Millis/Reuters)
The Trump administration has promoted data center expansion as critical to competing with China in artificial intelligence, although it has recently pushed tech companies to cover the cost of new energy production needed to run their facilities.
Mills did not say whether he would sign the bill, but he did request an exemption for a smaller project that would reuse existing infrastructure.
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If enacted, Maine’s moratorium would serve as a test case for how states balance economic growth against the rising energy demands of the AI boom.
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
