Key facts
- Georgia Governor Brian Kemp opposes a statewide moratorium on new data centers.
- Kemp argues that data centers provide significant economic benefits, such as jobs and tax revenue.
- He stated that ratepayers will not be burdened with the costs of powering new data centers.
- Recent electricity rate hikes were linked to fuel costs and the completion of the Plant Vogtle nuclear project.
- New York Governor Kathy Hochul enacted the nation's first statewide pause on new data centers.
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp has voiced strong opposition to a statewide moratorium on new data centers, a policy proposed by Democratic gubernatorial candidate Keisha Lance Bottoms and recently enacted in New York. Kemp emphasized that many Georgia communities are eager to attract data centers for the economic advantages they offer, including job creation and substantial tax revenue, citing Loudoun County, Virginia, as an example where approximately 200 facilities are projected to generate $1.3 billion in tax revenue this year.
Kemp stated that the state is not seeking to place data centers in unwilling neighborhoods but aims to facilitate projects in communities that recognize their benefits. He criticized the idea of a statewide moratorium as "irresponsible."
The governor also addressed concerns about rising electricity costs, acknowledging that Georgia Power had increased rates six times over three years, leading to an average monthly increase of $43 for residents. However, he attributed these hikes to fuel cost recoveries and the completion of the two nuclear generators at Plant Vogtle, a project that cost $35 billion. Kemp assured that ratepayers would not bear the additional costs of powering new data centers, stating that "hyperscalers" would pay and that the grid would be expanded while aiming to reduce power rates.