US Cities Impose Data Center Moratoriums to Protect Power Grids

Crossville City Council approved a 24‑month moratorium on new data center construction while the planning commission works with Cumberland County on unified standards. Mayor R. J. Crawford said the pause aims to avoid legal liability and to assess noise, water‑use and grid‑capacity impacts, noting that modern AI‑driven facilities can draw up to 1,500 MW and generate constant noise.

Lakeland, Florida, is considering a 12‑month suspension of new data centers that would apply across the entire Lakeland Electric service area, covering customers in nearby municipalities. City Attorney Palmer Davis and utility officials highlighted concerns that large‑scale power users could threaten reliability and affordability, prompting the utility to seek time to review federal guidance and evaluate additional generation and transmission capacity.