tech
Grassroots groups blocked 75 data center projects worth $130 billion in Q1 2026
Anti-data center groups doubled to 833 across 49 US states and disrupted 75 projects worth $130bn in Q1 2026, matching all of 2025 in three months.
TL;DR
- Activists blocked or delayed at least 75 data center projects worth $130 billion in Q1 2026.
- The number of active anti-data center groups more than doubled to 833 across 49 states by March 2026.
- Opposition concerns include electricity costs, water consumption, and noise.
- Legislative measures, including moratorium bills, are being introduced across multiple states.
- Public opposition to data centers near homes has increased significantly.
- US utilities plan to spend $1.4 trillion by 2030 on grid infrastructure, largely due to data center demand.
- In some cases, opposition is mobilizing even before projects are officially filed.