Data centers in North Carolina

"A single hyperscale data center can consume resources needed for 100,000 households. Rising cost of water and electricity are the most significant concerns voters have expressed."

"Hyperscale data centers and fossil fuel infrastructure require large quantities of water to cool the facilities, putting a strain on aquatic life and our drinking water sources. This year's drought and low water levels highlight the vulnerability of water quantity."

North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson said Duke Energy's data centre tariff agreement is a massive step forward in ensuring data centres pay their fair share.

John Szoka, CEO of Conservative Energy Network and former member of the North Carolina House of Representatives, said data centers represent enormous private investment, substantial new tax base, construction and skilled trade jobs, and that North Carolina became strong for business by looking forward

President Donald Trump said communities should want data center investments when they are placed in appropriate locations and their impacts including power, sound and water are properly addressed, and that developers should provide or finance additional electricity infrastructure rather than shifting costs to existing ratepayers

Murphy said he also supports development of data centers, saying they are needed to keep the United States a global leader in the development of artificial intelligence.

Chuck Hubbard, Democratic Congressional candidate, said a two year moratorium could help ensure environmentally safe data center development and that data centers put forever chemicals in waterways, raise electric bills, and produce noise pollution

Les Colvard, Ashe County Commissioner candidate, said county officials should enact a moratorium until data center facilities can show a proven benefit

Michael Whatley accepted $27,000 from KKR affiliated donors, including $5,000 from Raj Agrawal.

Whatley's family holds up to $410,000 in individual Duke Energy stock.

Whatley said he opposes subsidies for data centers but supports tax breaks for them.

Munashe Magarira, senior attorney at the Southern Environmental Law Center, said Duke's build out plan calls for a 'staggering amount' of new, polluting gas plants, with the collective maximum output of 12 gas plants approximately 9,850 megawatts.

Michael Whatley and his family hold between $246,000 and $690,000 in energy investments with companies fueling data center growth

Whatley and his family have holdings between $149,000 and $410,000 in Duke Energy

Whatley reported $361,000 from CAPCVentures LLC for consulting services in 2025

Republican commissioners William Brawley, Tommy Tucker, and Donald van der Vaart rejected the project because Duke Energy failed to demonstrate how it would adhere to the Ratepayer Protection Pledge

Will Scott, Environmental Defense Fund North Carolina policy director, said commission approval of fossil fuel Duke proposals have been foregone conclusion but this rejection was surprising.

Gov. Josh Stein calling on state utility regulators to codify data center energy promises made by Duke Energy to ensure data centers do not result in higher electricity bills for North Carolina families.

President Trump stated in social media that opposition to AI data centers and calls to curtail AI development constitute a sick conspiracy.

Samantha Martin, Board Chair, stated the current UDO requires administrative review and approval of data centers if application is in correct zoning district

Harold Weinbrecht, Cary mayor, stated the moratorium will allow staff time to conduct a technical study, engage with community, and develop ordinance addressing data centers

President Donald Trump stated AI needs only a strong president as guardrail and called opposition to AI data centers a sick conspiracy.

Jane Harrison, Raleigh Mayor Pro Tem, wants city to alert residents and council when large data center proposals come before board

Roy Cooper, former North Carolina Democratic governor running for U.S. Senate, said AI data center development should be slowed and federal guardrails are needed.

Sarika Bansal, Cary councilwoman, stated the moratorium will give the town time to understand how data center development could affect residents, infrastructure and local resources

Lori Bush, Cary Mayor Pro Tem, cited high electricity demand, cooling related water use, noise from cooling equipment and backup generators, and large building footprints as potential impacts from data centers

Anderson Clayton, North Carolina Democratic Party Chair, stated Michael Whatley has investments in Duke Energy and companies pushing for data centers, and that Duke Energy is pushing for higher utility prices.

North Carolina Governor Josh Stein called on state utility regulators to make Duke Energy's voluntary pledge legally binding so data centers pay their own way.

Janet Cowell, Raleigh Mayor, calls for careful approach and pause to have conversation and lower temperature on data center issue

Whatley's family holds individual stock in Microsoft, Nvidia, Google, and Apple for data center investments

North Carolina Democrats held a press conference calling on U.S. Senate candidate Michael Whatley to sell his investments in data center companies

Duke Energy seeks to raise utility rates in North Carolina by around $15 per month by summer 2028

Whatley's family has up to 1.6 million invested in data center companies

Whatley's family owns at least $149,000 in Duke Energy stock

Jeff Jackson, North Carolina Attorney General, urges Utilities Commission to create new rate class for Duke Energy data center customers

Jackson proposed that Duke Energy make energy load forecasts every 90 days instead of every six months

Jeff Jackson, NC Attorney General, calls on state regulators to establish distinct utility rate class for Duke Energy data centers to prevent costs shifting to residential customers

Jackson states Duke Energy onboarding unprecedented number of data centers without clear plan to protect ratepayers

Jackson requested that Duke Energy pause new natural gas plant development to allow stakeholders to evaluate load forecast

Jackson proposes separate rate class for Duke Energy data centers to ensure equal treatment and prevent cost shifting to residential customers

Josh Stein, North Carolina Governor, released statement Monday following Jackson's actions calling for data centers to pay their own way to lower electricity costs

Jackson proposed that Duke Energy submit regular reports about agreements with large energy users that differ from standard templates

Jackson proposed that Duke Energy make public the template contract it uses with data centers and other large energy users

Jackson recommends pausing development of new natural gas plants to allow full evaluation of Duke Energy's last minute updates

Jackson calls for Utilities Commission to require Duke Energy to make voluntary pledge on data center costs legally binding

Jamie Ager said data centers must bring good local jobs and cannot poison water or air

Ager said every community deserves the ability to set terms if they want a data center at all

Ager stated data centers cannot drive up electric bills for families and small businesses

Charlotte Water Public Affairs Manager Jennifer Frost said data centers currently operating in Charlotte have not caused residential water or sewer rates to increase

Demis Hassabis stated achieving human level AI would unleash ten times the impact of the Industrial Revolution.

Jensen Huang stated every country needs AI data center infrastructure as foundational as water, roads, electricity and internet.

Jensen Huang, Nvidia CEO, at G20 Innovation Ministerial said work that takes ten years could take one year, and year long projects could finish within a month.

Michael Whatley, RNC Chair and U.S. Senate nominee in North Carolina, said data center opposition is not organic and is ginned up

Chemours claims 2P50 could nearly eliminate water use for cooling

Coalition of 17 environmental organizations urging EPA not to approve 2P50 and other new PFAS uses

Chemours developing Opteon 2P50, a fluorinated fluid for cooling data center servers

Opteon 2P50 chemical awaiting federal EPA approval and not yet commercially available in United States

Commissioner Todd Yates stated data centers cannot be stopped

PFAS from Fayetteville Works contaminated drinking water for hundreds of thousands of people in Cape Fear region

Vice Chair Marty Cooke said data centers will not provide jobs; multi billion dollar investment for 10 to 12 jobs

Commissioner Pat Sykes stated data centers are very noisy, use a lot of electricity and water

Chair Mike Forte stated he is adamantly opposed and will not vote for approval of data centers due to water and power draw concerns

"Treating the generators as separate projects understates the facility's overall pollution impact and helps the companies avoid stricter regulatory standards that would apply if emissions were considered together"

"One of the wealthiest companies in the world can and should do better than trying to evade critical air quality protections for a whopping 649 diesel-fired generators that belch deadly soot pollution into the air North Carolinians breathe"

Jon Sanders, director of the John Locke Foundation's Center for Food, Power, and Life, said I'm doubtful local moratoriums will have much practical effect because the market has already narrowed the universe of places where a data center can realistically locate

Republican state Reps. David Willis and Jeff McNeely said residents asking questions about energy, water, noise, and who benefits from the projects deserve answers but argued that blocking data centers through moratoriums is the wrong answer

Gary Salamido, president and CEO of the North Carolina Chamber, said Capital flows where it is wanted and stays where it's welcome, so moratoriums certainly send a message

Rania Masri, co director of the North Carolina Environmental Justice Network, said in support of the moratoriums in June: We are being told that AI data centers are inevitable , that communities must sacrifice their water, land, and health, and their economic future for Big Tech's greed

Governor Josh Stein and Attorney General Jeff Jackson issued a joint call for Duke Energy to make its federal Ratepayer Protection Pledge legally binding through a state agreement with the Utilities Commission.

Foushee has said she thinks the decisions are best left to local leaders in communities where data centers are proposed, and she opposes a planned facility near Apex.