Seattle Considers 365-Day Data Center Moratorium
Rising power demand and public pressure push city councilmembers to consider a pause.
May 1, 2026 – Leaders in Seattle are moving to introduce a 365-day moratorium on new data centers, as city officials respond to growing concerns about energy demand, environmental impacts, and rising costs for utility ratepayers.
City Councilmember Debora Juarez, Councilmember Eddie Lin, and Council President Joy Hollingsworth said Thursday they plan to introduce emergency legislation that would halt the siting of new data centers for one year, while also advancing a resolution calling for detailed studies on impacts to infrastructure, water usage, utility rates, land use, jobs, and public health.
Lin is the prime sponsor of the moratorium legislation, which is co-sponsored by Hollingsworth, while Juarez authored the accompanying resolution after working on it for several months.
The proposal comes as demand for large-scale data centers, driven by artificial intelligence and cloud computing, grows nationwide, prompting Seattle officials to evaluate how such facilities could affect the city’s electrical grid and long-term infrastructure capacity.
Mayor Katie Wilson signaled support for a pause in April, saying the city was working with Seattle City Light, the city-owned electric utility, the City Council, and other stakeholders to evaluate long-term policy options, including a potential moratorium.
Several companies have explored building large-scale data centers in the city, though none have submitted formal service requests or committed to construction, according to Seattle City Light.
Earlier discussions involved multiple sites with a combined potential demand of up to 369 megawatts, enough electricity to power approximately 300,000 homes.
That level of demand has raised concerns about grid reliability and costs, particularly as Seattle City Light faces increasing pressure from declining hydropower availability and greater reliance on wholesale electricity markets.
“Mega data centers are popping up across the country, driving up utility costs for residents and small businesses and increasing air, water and noise pollution when not properly regulated,” Lin said, adding that thousands of residents have already voiced opposition to the projects.
Seattle currently has about 30 smaller data centers, but the proposed projects would be the first at a much larger scale, potentially reshaping the city’s energy demand.
Officials also raised equity concerns, noting that South Seattle communities already face disproportionate pollution and heat exposure.
Under the proposal, the moratorium would take effect immediately upon approval and last for 365 days, with the option of a six-month extension, and would require a public hearing within 60 days.
Councilmembers are expected to introduce the legislation by mid-May, with review likely to move through the Land Use and Sustainability Committee and the City Light and Parks Committee, while officials also consider new electricity rate structures for large-load customers, including data centers.
Protecting core infrastructure is central to the effort, Hollingsworth said in a Facebook post.
“Infrastructure at Seattle City Light needs continued investment to meet growing demand, and through Seattle Public Utilities we manage some of the cleanest drinking water in the country… These are critical public assets, and it’s our responsibility to protect them,” she said.
City officials emphasized that Seattle has not approved or permitted any new data centers to date.
Member discussion