Keisha Lance Bottoms Seeks Georgia Data Center Moratorium as 150-Plus Sites Drive Power Fight
Updated
Updated · POLITICO · Jul 27
Keisha Lance Bottoms Seeks Georgia Data Center Moratorium as 150-Plus Sites Drive Power Fight
2 articles · Updated · POLITICO · Jul 27
Summary
Keisha Lance Bottoms has made a statewide pause on new data center construction an early issue in Georgia’s open governor’s race, putting energy costs and grid strain at the center of the campaign.
More than 150 data centers in Georgia are lifting electricity demand and forcing costly grid upgrades, even as affordability remains a potent political issue after Georgia Power raised rates six times in three years.
Brian Kemp, who is term-limited, rejects a moratorium as irresponsible and says tech companies should cover added power costs under Trump’s Ratepayer Protection Pledge, which 23 Republican governors signed.
Rick Jackson, Bottoms’ Republican opponent, also opposes a ban and has invested in a Texas data center, while some Georgia communities still welcome projects for jobs and tax revenue.
The clash leaves Georgia’s next governor balancing AI-era investment against local backlash over power bills, water use and the pace of utility expansion.