Svmuu News: The office of New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced that she plans to sign an executive order on Tuesday to halt the construction of large data centers for up to one year. The ban takes effect immediately and applies to data centers with power consumption of 50 megawatts or more. This moratorium will buy the state time to develop data center regulations that are both environmentally sound and ensure the stability of the power grid.
This move makes New York the latest state to address infrastructure challenges posed by the AI boom. No other state has previously implemented a similar moratorium. However, dozens of cities and counties across the United States have already issued temporary bans on data center construction, and many states have proposed similar moratorium plans. As data centers continue to spring up across the country, more and more communities are voicing opposition, fueling the growth of the anti-AI movement.
Opponents argue that these data centers, which support artificial intelligence and computing systems, could overload local power grids and drive up residents’ utility bills. Some voters have even attempted to recall politicians who support data center development. (Jin Shi)