PENNSYLVANIA: Opposition to artificial intelligence data centres is bringing some Republican and Democratic voters together ahead of the United States midterm elections, amid concerns over rising electricity bills and the impact on local communities.
The debate is playing out in the northeastern state of Pennsylvania, where President Donald Trump and Democratic governor Josh Shapiro welcomed an announcement of US$90 billion in energy and AI-related investment in July 2025.
More than 90 data centres were planned across the state, but over a quarter of the projects have since been stopped or delayed following local opposition.
THE COST OF DATA CENTRE EXPANSION
Data centres require substantial electricity to power servers and cooling systems, while facilities that use water-based cooling can consume large amounts of water.
Residents have raised concerns about higher electricity bills, water pollution and the impact of data centres on the landscape. They have also questioned tax breaks for developments that create relatively few permanent jobs.
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