As Data Centers Look to Rural New England, Maine Considers a Moratorium

As Data Centers Look to Rural New England, Maine Considers a Moratorium

When local officials in rural Wiscasset, Maine, voted on November 4, 2025, to pause a data center discussion in the community of around 4,000 year-round residents, it may have been a sign of what’s to come. As the nationwide expansion of data centers arrives in New England, questions about electricity prices, grid reliability, and impact on water resources are forcing elected leaders to pump the brakes.  One idea floating around Maine’s statehou…