Escalation: Maine enacts first statewide data center moratorium

Maine’s Legislature approved an 18-month moratorium on new data centers that would consume more than 20 megawatts of power, making it the first state to pass a statewide pause of this kind. The freeze runs through November 1, 2027. It passed 79 to 62 in the House and 21 to 13 in the Senate.

The bill blocks state and local approvals for facilities above the threshold and creates a council of officials, energy experts, and other stakeholders to draft recommendations for future rules during the pause. It now goes to Governor Janet Mills, who has 10 days to sign, veto, or allow it to become law without her signature. Lawmakers rejected carveouts, including one Mills wanted for a planned project at the former paper mill site in Jay, so the version on her desk contains no exemption.

AI-synthesized from multiple reported sources