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Seattle Enacts One-Year Ban on Data Centers
The pause follows proposals for five large-scale facilities that would use 369 megawatts, about one-third of Seattle’s average daily electricity use, officials said.
- On Tuesday, the Seattle City Council unanimously approved Amended Council Bill 121214, sponsored by Councilmember Eddie Lin of District 2 and Council President Joy Hollingsworth of District 3, imposing a one-year freeze on data centers using more than 20 megavolt-amperes.
- Four unnamed companies approached Seattle City Light in April proposing five large data centers with combined demand of 369 megawatts—about one-third of the city's average daily electricity use and 10 times more power than Seattle's existing 30 facilities.
- Fifty-Two speakers testified Tuesday in favor of the moratorium, with zero opposing, while Amazon senior software engineer Liesl Wigand testified last Wednesday about seeing "consequences of the all-costs-justified AI buildout" and the belief that AI should solve everything while ignoring resource costs.
- Mayor Wilson expressed support for signing the ordinance as the city prepares comprehensive studies, with a required public hearing within 60 days and 365 days of meetings with communities, utilities and companies to form permanent regulations.
- Ben Jones of 350 Seattle called the city the largest in the nation to pass a data center moratorium, as more than 70 cities and counties nationwide have enacted similar bans and New York's legislature voted for a one-year ban awaiting Gov. Kathy Hochul's signature.
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51 Articles
51 Articles
Seattle passes one-year data center moratorium
After two hours of near-unanimous testimony from residents in support, all Seattle City Council Members voted to create a one-year moratorium on the creation or expansion of any large data centers within city limits, becoming the largest city in the country to pause facilities that are drawing controversy across the country.
·Seattle, United States
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Total News Sources51
Leaning Left8Leaning Right9Center15Last UpdatedBias Distribution47% Center
Bias Distribution
- 47% of the sources are Center
47% Center
L 25%
C 47%
R 28%
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