A facility to house computer systems and related infrastructure, critical for information storage and processing
Governor Janet Mills has vetoed a bill that would have paused large data center development in Maine until late 2027. She supports a moratorium but objects to the bill's lack of an exemption for a project in Jay, which is expected to create hundreds of jobs. Mills plans to issue an executive order to examine data center impacts.
Several large-scale construction efforts are moving forward amid legal challenges and funding concerns. In Ohio, a Browns stadium project near Cleveland Hopkins International Airport is proceeding while state funding sits in limbo due to a class-action suit. Meanwhile, US reports indicate expansion in immigrant detention and tech land-use plans renewed attention on local governance and disclosure.
Tom Steyer is under renewed pressure over his position on a moratorium for new data centers as voters weigh affordability and climate policy ahead of the June 2 primary. Greenpeace has disputed his current stance after his comments in a campaign survey.
NextEra Energy has agreed to combine with Dominion Energy in an all-stock deal that values Dominion at about $67bn and would create the world’s largest regulated electric utility, serving roughly 10 million customer accounts across Florida and the Southeast. The transaction is expected to close in 12–18 months, subject to shareholder and regulatory approvals.
A wave of energy storage and grid-neutral projects is reshaping the power landscape. European microgrids in Dublin demonstrate how on-site generation paired with storage can stabilize supply, while a South Dakota project pilots thermal storage adjacent to a biofuels facility to ease wind-backed fluctuations. Simultaneously, a large-scale telecom-to-energy consolidation is prompting questions about consumer costs as regulators weigh rate implications.
A wave of local and state actions is driving a pause in new data-center approvals as officials weigh electricity demand, water use, and community impact. Governors and legislators are considering temporary bans or moratoria while studies assess environmental and economic effects. Industry groups warn against overreach while residents push for local control and benefits.
A wave of city and state actions curbs datacenter expansion amid AI investments. Seattle and New York push moratoriums to reassess power, water use, and community impact while major employers accelerate AI spending and layoffs.
A wave of local and state actions is shaping the data-center boom. New rules aim to curb power use, water consumption and cost pressures, while critics warn of overreach and uneven economic impacts.
Big Tech's push to build AI infrastructure is sparking a nationwide effort to train electricians, welders and other skilled trades. Meta and Google have launched or expanded programs to fund training, paid apprenticeships and job guarantees as data-center buildouts accelerate.
A mounting body of studies shows climate hazards are increasingly disrupting data centers worldwide, raising costs and threatening reliability. Insurers warn of higher premiums; operators push for water-efficient cooling and location strategies. With heat waves intensifying, a systemic rethink of cooling, water use, and siting is underway.
The expansion of AI data centers is meeting increasing resistance from communities, with regulators considering moratoriums and bans while tech giants defend efficiency gains and transparency. New disclosures show progress toward water-use goals, but concerns about environmental impact persist.
Galleries have been shrinking and business models have been under sustained pressure at Art Basel this month, while major players have been narrowing investments and reshaping portfolios across regions. SoftBank has reduced deal activity in Latin America; Pace has cut artists and staff; recruitment firm Hays has sold operations; and community art projects and private collectors are adapting their approaches.
The Scotsman argues that scalable, green data centres near Longformacus set new standards in sustainable infrastructure, while highlighting local jobs and energy efficiency. Other outlets report on noise concerns and policy pauses, underscoring divergent views on data center growth and its regional impact. Published June 2026.
The Department of Energy has proposed up to $17.5 billion in loans to support five two-reactor projects built around Westinghouse’s AP1000 design. The plan aims to accelerate construction, standardize supply chains, and attract tech-sector investment, with selections expected after letters of intent were signed by seven potential partners.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has issued region-specific orders to speed grid connections for AI-driven data centers and large energy users, aiming to balance faster power access with consumer costs. The moves target six grid regions serving over 200 million people and seek transparent cost allocation, with responses due within 60 days.
Micron has reported blockbuster fiscal third-quarter results — $41.46bn revenue and $28.24bn net income — and has forecast roughly $50bn for the current quarter. The results have pushed Micron above a $1tn market value, restarted buying in memory stocks and have sharpened concerns that soaring AI data‑centre demand is forcing consumer electronics makers, including Apple, to prepare price increases.
Federal regulators have issued orders to regional grid operators to speed connections for large data centers while requiring transparency and rules to prevent ratepayers from subsidising grid upgrades. Tech firms and energy officials are defending faster hookups and new cooling tech; communities and experts are warning about water, electricity and local costs as data‑center buildouts surge.
Recent data shows a sharp rise in home battery installations across several states, driven by high electricity prices and policies that reward rooftop solar plus storage. Utilities and tech firms see these distributed assets powering a future grid and supporting data centers, AI workloads, and virtual power plants. Major players are expanding partnerships to coordinate thousands of home batteries for grid needs.
Prologis has made an all-share approach worth 925p a Segro share, valuing Segro at about 3.6bn. Segro’s board has rejected the bid as “a long way short” of value, arguing the US bid undervalues the business. Shares have rallied on the news, while broader property stocks are buoyed by falling gilt yields and hopes of cheaper financing.
Major device makers have raised prices and warned consumers after memory and storage costs have surged because AI data‑centre buildouts are buying up DRAM and flash. Apple has increased Mac and iPad prices; Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo have signalled or implemented console and hardware hikes. Analysts say shortages will persist into 2027.
A UN Global Dialogue on AI Governance has opened in Geneva to discuss regulatory safeguards as AI technology evolves rapidly. Participants from governments, tech, academia and civil society are exploring universal guardrails while acknowledging both the potential benefits and new risks. The dialogue emphasizes the need for proactive, globally coordinated standards.
A heat dome has driven record electricity demand across the eastern United States. Officials warn temperatures will stay high this week and the grid faces stress as cooling needs rise. Cooling centers expand and energy-use guidance is issued to prevent outages.
Tech giants Google and Amazon have released sustainability reports showing rising energy use tied to AI expansion. While they claim progress on decarbonization, Scope 3 emissions and data-center activity are pushing overall emissions higher, prompting calls for tighter funding of clean energy and reforms to energy strategy.
Meta has released Muse Spark 1.1, a more capable agentic and coding-focused model, with public API access and aggressive pricing. The upgrade aims to close the gap with OpenAI and Anthropic, offering pricing at $1.25 per million input tokens and $4.25 per million output tokens, and promising stronger performance on coding tasks and multi-task workflows.
Meta has expanded its Hyperion AI data center in Richland Parish, Louisiana to at least 5 gigawatts of compute capacity at a cost surpassing $50 billion. The project, already a major AI infrastructure push, is expected to create over 1,000 jobs and bring billions in local contracts and infrastructure investments.
The IMF has revised its 2026 growth outlook to 3.0%, citing energy shocks from the Middle East but noting an AI investment boom that is offsetting some pain. The US is forecast to grow around 2.3%, Europe remains subdued, and oil markets show volatility as tensions persist in Hormuz. Inflation is expected to ease only slowly.
Caribbean talks have inked MOUs for a 300MW data center and a 150MW AI facility, plus a plan to recommission a local steel plant. The deals are framed as development but raise concerns about energy use, water stress, and environmental impact amid global push for data infrastructure by US partners.
Governor Kathy Hochul has signed an executive order imposing a one-year pause on state permits for new hyperscale data centres that use 50 megawatts or more. The order directs regulators to produce an environmental impact review and considers requiring centres to pay for their own power, contribute to grid upgrades and lose tax breaks.
The OECD has forecast the UK’s GDP will slow to 0.9% in 2026, down from 1.4% last year, citing energy costs and geopolitics. It stresses the need for reforms to boost productivity and address regional disparities, as energy prices remain a risk to growth.
Palm Beach County debates Project Tango, a large AI data center proposal near Mar-a-Lago. Voters cite infrastructure, water, and schooling concerns as developers promise tax revenue and jobs amid a national data-center buildout.
As AI infrastructure expands, builders report shortages in electricians and skilled trades, while energy and material costs tighten the supply chain. The buildout is powering new, well‑paid jobs even as critics flag environmental and energy concerns.