New limits on data centers are under consideration in Delaware as the boom in energy-hungry facilities reaches the First State.
Businesses that draw more than 30 megawatts of electricity would need approval from the Public Service Commission under a recently introduced bill, SB 205. The Democratic chairs of the House’s and Senate’s energy committees are among its sponsors.
Delaware currently has few data centers, though a mega-development called Project Washington has been proposed near the Delaware City Refinery. Project Washington is expected to use as much as 1.2 gigawatts of electricity per hour — twice as much as every home in the state, according to Spotlight Delaware.
Democratic Rep. Frank Burns, a sponsor of the bill, said Project Washington has jolted lawmakers into recognizing how few regulatory tools the state has to ensure data centers don’t skew the state’s economy.
