Seattle City Council votes unanimously for one-year moratorium on large data centers
By
Todd Bishop
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Summary
The Seattle City Council voted unanimously (9-0) to impose a one-year emergency moratorium on new large data centers (over 20 megavolt-amperes) within city limits. The pause allows the city to study the impact of AI-driven data centers on the power grid, water supply, utility rates, and local economy. The moratorium takes effect once Mayor Katie Wilson signs it, and reflects growing concerns about the environmental and infrastructure costs of expanding AI computing infrastructure in the city that birthed cloud computing.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledThe city that gave the world cloud computing just hit pause on the machines that power it.
The Seattle City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to impose a one-year emergency moratorium on new large data centers inside the city limits.
This is Seattle's position on AI.
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