The San Francisco Board of Supervisors has unanimously approved a 45-day moratorium on new data center construction. This immediate ban may be extended for up to 22 months. City planners are tasked with evaluating the impact of these facilities on energy, water usage, air quality, and local communities, with hearings scheduled before November.
The decision halts two specific projects: a NOVVA site in Bayview, which currently consumes 9 MW and sought to expand to 36 MW, and a proposed 49.5 MW facility in Dogpatch. Officials cited concerns over existing pollution levels in the Bayview-Hunters Point area. Notably, the city lacks a comprehensive registry of existing data centers, with reports suggesting only about six currently operate.
International precedents show similar constraints. In 2024, South Dublin County Council rejected a Google data center proposal. Meanwhile, Denmark's operator Energinet halted new connections due to a 60 GW backlog against a 7 GW peak demand. In the UK, the Nscale project in Essex, backed by Microsoft, faces delays in securing 90 MW for its 2027 opening, as grid connection queues now reach nearly 10 years.
