New Mexico Data Center Moratorium Debate

New Mexico lawmakers plan to propose a statewide pause on new large-scale data centers during the 2027 legislative session while the state develops standards for water use, energy demand, emissions, ratepayer impacts, and community benefits.

The debate is closely tied to Project Jupiter, an Oracle- and OpenAI-linked campus under construction near Santa Teresa, and to local moratoriums adopted or considered in several counties. Supporters say a pause is needed before projects advance faster than state oversight, while PNM and other proponents argue that carefully structured tariffs and accountability rules could let large users help fund grid upgrades without shifting costs to residential customers.