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Moratoriums

Three Cities Vote for Data-⁠Center Moratoriums

Boise, Oklahoma City and Oakland voted unanimously on Tuesday for data-center pauses: six months in Boise and, unless lifted sooner, into late 2027 in the others.

BOISE, Idaho, Nov. 10 — Three city councils voted on Tuesday, each unanimously, to pause new data centers. Boise, Idaho, put a six-month moratorium on projects of 100,000 square feet or larger, or that use 20 megawatts of power, effective at once, the Idaho Capital Sun reported. Oklahoma City extended its pause on data centers with loads above 75 megawatts to Dec. 31, 2027, and Oakland, Calif., extended its pause on new data-center approvals to Oct. 5, 2027. Both of those pauses can end sooner if the cities adopt new rules.

“It’s a six-month moratorium that will put the brakes on hyperscale data centers in Boise, so it gives us the time to better determine and understand the impacts that these will have,” said Mayor Lauren McLean, who proposed it on Friday, according to the Capital Sun. Boise has no large data-center applications pending, the mayor said: “I’m doing this now before we have an application so that we can be sure that we get it right.”

None of the three is a permanent ban: each buys the city time to study the effects on power and water and to write rules. Oklahoma City’s moratorium began in April; two properties already in rezoning were exempt, and last month the city approved its first mega-data center, with strict zoning terms, The Oklahoman reported. “Extending the temporary moratorium will give City Council time to evaluate the full scope of the potential impacts and determine appropriate regulations,” said Geoff Butler, the planning director.

Oakland’s council lengthened a 45-day moratorium passed on Oct. 6, The Oaklandside reported, and separately declared an emergency ordinance barring the city from approving permits, zoning changes and other land-use agreements to build data centers. “We’re seeing an uprising across the country when it comes to how data centers are operating,” said Carroll Fife, the councilmember who introduced the extension. Not everyone agreed: Mindy Pechenuk, a resident, argued that data centers could create jobs for young people.

Fort Worth’s council held the first of two public hearings that Texas law requires before a 90-day moratorium can begin, and two separate votes are also needed; if three-fourths of the council approves it, the pause would start on Feb. 23, the Fort Worth Report said.Fort WorthProjects already approved and permitted, such as a $10 billion one led by Black Mountain in southeast Fort Worth, would keep building, the Report said. In Florida, Hillsborough County’s commissioners voted 6-0 to defer a proposed one-year moratorium to an unspecified date, so that two newly elected members can take office first, Florida Politics reported. County staff said no data-center applications were pending in unincorporated Hillsborough.

The Utility

Montana’s Public Service Commission approved the $15.4 billion merger of NorthWestern Energy and Black Hills Corp. on Tuesday, 3 to 2, the Daily Montanan reported. Montana was the last state whose vote the deal needed. The commission, which had put off its decision on Oct. 27 (as this paper reported), had posted no release on the vote by 5:20 a.m. Eastern on Wednesday.

Most members of the public opposed the merger, citing power bills and data centers among their concerns, the paper reported. Commissioner Jennifer Fielder, who moved to approve it, said, according to the paper, that pushback against data centers was misplaced in the case and that the commission would deal with large loads separately. The approved order said rates would not increase as a result of the merger, according to the Daily Montanan. “What are we going to do about lowering the rates for the people?” asked Commissioner Randy Pinocci, who voted no.

The votes fell on the day October’s consumer prices were published: the index for electricity rose 0.9 percent over the month, seasonally adjusted, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on Tuesday. Next, Tarrant County’s commissioners court, in Texas, is expected to vote on Nov. 17 on a resolution to end tax abatements for data centers, the Fort Worth Report said.

Sources

  1. Idaho Capital Sun, “Boise City Council approves 6-month moratorium on large data center construction,” Nov. 10, 2026.
  2. The Oklahoman, “OKC extends data center moratorium through 2027 in unanimous vote,” Nov. 10, 2026.
  3. The Oklahoman, via Yahoo News, “OKC extends data center moratorium through 2027 in unanimous vote,” Nov. 10, 2026.
  4. The Oaklandside, “Oakland extends data center moratorium until 2027,” Nov. 10, 2026.
  5. Fort Worth Report, “Fort Worth takes next step toward data center moratorium as lawmakers prep legislation,” Nov. 10, 2026.
  6. Florida Politics, “Data center moratorium vote delayed until new Hillsborough Commissioners take office,” Nov. 10, 2026.
  7. Daily Montanan, “Public Service Commission approves NorthWestern Energy, Black Hills Corp merger,” Nov. 10, 2026.
  8. Montana Public Service Commission, “Newsroom (latest release: “PSC To Decide NWE/BHC Merger,” Nov. 6, 2026),” Nov. 11, 2026.
  9. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Consumer Price Index — October 2026 (USDL-26-1685),” Nov. 10, 2026.