Data centers, which house the computing infrastructure powering artificial intelligence systems, have become increasingly unpopular in communities where they are proposed or constructed. Polling data from May indicated that 71% of Americans opposed data centers in their areas, a figure higher than opposition to nuclear power stations at 53%. This opposition has intensified over the past two years, with some surveys suggesting roughly half of Americans support a complete moratorium on new data center construction.
The backlash stems from concrete local concerns about impacts on communities. Residents report rising electricity bills attributed to the infrastructure required to power data centers, while others face diminished water supplies in areas where these facilities operate. Because the US energy system functions at a local level, price impacts can be immediate and significant for residents. Opposition has crossed traditional political lines, with both Democratic and Republican voters expressing concerns, though the backlash has been more pronounced among left-leaning constituencies. Democratic Senator Bernie Sanders has called for a construction moratorium, citing public worries about rapid technological change and inadequate community control over development.
The political consequences are already surfacing ahead of midterm elections. Recent gubernatorial races in New Jersey and Virginia, both states with substantial data center operations, saw Democratic candidates elected partly on platforms opposing rising electricity costs linked to data center expansion. These states subsequently enacted legislation requiring new energy tariffs for data centers and disclosure of their energy and water consumption. Meanwhile, Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton in Texas has campaigned against data center tax breaks, marking a striking shift in a state historically known for aggressively courting such facilities.
Similar resistance is emerging in the United Kingdom, where the nation hosts the world’s third-largest concentration of data centers. Proposed developments in Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, and east London have faced local opposition, with residents in some cases preferring alternative land uses such as social housing. Tech industry leaders have attempted to address concerns, with seven major CEOs signing a nonbinding pledge in March to ensure energy costs are not passed to ordinary households. However, critics argue these measures are insufficient, particularly given that functioning data centers typically employ only dozens to a few hundred permanent workers, limiting job creation benefits for affected communities.
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