Governor Greg Abbott issued a directive ensuring that compute facilities do not consume water or electricity required by local communities and the state power grid. This order halted up to 1,800 data center projects, reflecting a trend where governors on both sides of the political aisle are slowing infrastructure development as public anger over artificial intelligence spreads across the US.
Texas energy regulators established a mid-December deadline for the review of grid connections for data centers and crypto-mining sites to address concerns raised by the governor's office. The regulatory shift comes less than three months before midterm elections, prompting tech firms to attempt to quell a growing bipartisan opposition to AI development in several states.
Key sources
- SOURCE@wsj“State governors on both sides of the aisle are slowing development of data centers as anger over artificial intelligence spreads”x.com
- SUPPORT@business“Texas energy regulators have set a mid-December deadline for project reviews needed to connect data centers and crypto-mining facilities to the state’s grid”x.com
- SUPPORT@cnbc“opposition to AI data centers is becoming a bipartisan rallying cry in a growing number of states”x.com
- SUPPORT@business“Tech firms are trying to quell growing opposition to their AI plans”x.com
- SUPPORT@polymarket“Texas has now halted up to 1,800 data center projects.”x.com
- SUPPORT@polymarket“could wipe 200–300 basis points off annual U.S. GDP.”x.com
- SUPPORT@polymarket“70% chance a U.S. state enacts a data center moratorium this year.”x.com
- SOURCEhuggingnewshuggingnews.com