Environmental groups are calling for a halt to construction of the new data center

As power demand for data centers rises, environmental groups are calling for a moratorium on approving the construction of new facilities.

More than 230 organizations, including Food & Water Watch, Friends of the Earth, and Greenpeace, signed a public letter urging members of Congress to support a national moratorium on approving and building new data centers, citing rising electricity and water consumption.

“The rapid and largely unregulated rise of data centers to fuel the AI ​​and cryptocurrency craze is disrupting communities across the country and threatening the economic, environmental, climate, and water security of Americans,” the letter said.

Many studies have linked rising energy prices to the arrival of new data centers in the region. Consumers have reached similar conclusions: A recent study, commissioned by solar installer Sunrun, found that eight out of 10 consumers were concerned about data centers negatively impacting their utility bills.

Electricity prices have already risen 13% this year, greater than any annual increase in the past decade.

The effects are expected to be most pronounced in a few states, including Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois and New Jersey, which are set to see the largest increase in data center capacity.

Power demand for data centers is expected to nearly triple in the next decade, from 40 gigawatts today to 106 gigawatts in 2035. Much of that will happen in rural areas.

“All of this compounds the significant and alarming impacts that AI is having on society, including job losses, social instability and economic concentration,” the environmental groups said.

Proposed data centers have become a flashpoint in recent days.

Last week, protesters marched outside the Detroit headquarters of utility company DTE. The company is seeking approval from the Michigan Public Service Commission to supply electricity to OpenAI and Oracle for a 1.4-gigawatt data center. Protesters said they were concerned that the data center would lead to higher electricity bills, use too much fresh water, and disrupt traffic.

Also last week, three people were arrested in Wisconsin during a joint council meeting about a 902-megawatt data center slated to be part of Oracle’s OpenAI and Stargate project.