Maine Moves to Become First U.S. State to Ban New Data Centers

Lawmakers in Maine have approved a bill temporarily banning the construction of large data centers until November 2027 in a move that could make Maine the first U.S. state to legislate a pause in the AI centers expansion, which has weighed on consumer energy bills. The Maine Legislature passed the bill, which still needs Governor Janet Mills’ final approval. The bill would block large data centers that draw over 20 megawatts of power until November 2027. The bill, LD 307, would also create a new Data Center Coordination Council, which is expected…