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Last Update: 10/27/2026 at 5:34 AM EST
North Carolina Data Centers
Coverage from WRAL, Inside Climate News, and others
Data centers are expanding in North Carolina, bringing investment and potential employment while increasing demand for electricity, land, and infrastructure.
Duke Energy’s planning for large new loads has made utility costs, demand forecasts, and the risk of shifting infrastructure expenses to household customers central policy questions. State officials and regulators have considered separate rate classes, large-load tariffs, and requirements for customers to help fund the power and grid capacity they need. Local debates also weigh concerns such as land use and neighborhood impacts against claims of construction activity, tax revenue, and infrastructure funding.
Looking Back
150 Day Timeline
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All Articles61 articles
Important
North Carolina communities and lawmakers debated hyperscale data center projects in 2024 as Senate Bill 730 advanced, targeting evaporative cooling limits amid water uncertainty.
6/15/2026 • Water & Cooling • General
Duke University received an April 8 building permit to build a 1.5 MW data center at Central Campus in Durham, as Durham officials advance hyperscale data-center moratorium rules.
5/21/2026 • Water & Cooling • General
North Carolina House advanced Senate Bill 730 on Wednesday, requiring Duke Energy nuclear permission before coal retirements and setting cooling, local incentive, and sound-study rules for large data centers.
6/4/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Following rezoning approval, Digital Realty Trust is developing a 156-acre, 400-megawatt data center campus requiring a Duke Energy substation in southwest Charlotte.
8/6/2026 • Power Procurement & Grid • General
Duke Energy reported a 2.7 GW increase in its data-center pipeline since 2025, with 7.6 GW of agreements spanning South Carolina, North Carolina, Florida, and other service states.
8/5/2026 • Power Procurement & Grid • General
North Carolina Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley is balancing statewide data center expansion with growing local opposition over electricity, water, incentives, and land use.
8/4/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Amazon announced the $10 billion Project Blue Marlin data center in Richmond County, North Carolina, on June 4, 2025, after confidential negotiations and rezoning decisions.
9/9/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Interesting
Bonnie Titone said Duke Energy is planning $103 billion in generation and infrastructure investment while requiring data centers to support grid reliability in Washington, D.C., on June 9.
7/27/2026 • Power Procurement & Grid • General
In 2026, Southern Company and Duke Energy reported data center power agreements and expansion pipelines across their U.S. service territories while planning generation investment.
9/30/2026 • Power Procurement & Grid • General
North Carolina communities are imposing temporary AI data center moratoriums while Duke Energy, Amazon Web Services, Google, and state business leaders promote new power supplies, investment, and tax revenue.
8/2/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Duke Energy reported first-quarter 2026 results and disclosed 7.6 gigawatts of electric service agreements for new data center load since 2024.
5/22/2026 • Power Procurement & Grid • General
North Carolina Connects spent $367,272 on advertising in North Carolina to promote data-center benefits as counties impose moratoriums and legislators consider new regulations by July 27.
7/22/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
North Carolina legislators advanced NC Senate Bill 730 Ratepayer Protection Act in House Energy Committee, adding closed-loop water and ownership restrictions for data centers.
5/21/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Carolinas data center contractors are expanding trenching and safety controls in 2024 as AI-driven construction accelerates along North Carolina and South Carolina corridors.
8/2/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Unifi, Enovum, and TeraWulf used 2025 data center acquisition earnouts tied to power delivery, leases, energization, and project financing.
9/20/2026 • Project Finance & Incentives • General
NC Budget & Tax Center recommended in July 2026 that North Carolina repeal data-center incentives and adopt a statewide two- to three-year moratorium.
7/29/2026 • Project Finance & Incentives • General
North Carolina municipalities and Senate candidates are responding in 2024 to data-center opposition over power costs, environmental effects, and local control across the state.
9/14/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
During the North Carolina midterm campaign, Senate candidates Roy Cooper and Michael Whatley debated data-center incentives and costs as communities imposed local construction moratoriums.
8/27/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
North Carolina Senate candidates Roy Cooper and Michael Whatley are confronting rising opposition to data centers over local authority and infrastructure costs across North Carolina.
8/21/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
An Elon University poll found rising opposition to data centers among North Carolina residents in late July as local governments considered moratoriums and regulations.
8/12/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Duke Energy says its Customer Protection Plus framework will manage data-center growth across its service territory through engineering studies and long-term customer agreements.
7/30/2026 • Power Procurement & Grid • General
Party for Socialism and Liberation organizers in Asheville petition North Carolina legislators for a statewide ban on new data center construction, tax incentive repeal, and limits on utility and water impacts.
7/2/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Rep. Maria Cervania and North Carolina community organizers at the General Assembly criticized AI data center development on water quality and supply grounds during a press conference.
6/25/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Indeed Hiring Lab reported in 2026 that data center hiring and worker searches are accelerating across the United States, with North Carolina positioned to capture local jobs amid major Duke Energy demand growth.
8/19/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
The NC Budget & Tax Center recommended that North Carolina eliminate data center tax subsidies and impose a two- to three-year statewide moratorium amid rising public costs and infrastructure demands.
8/6/2026 • Project Finance & Incentives • General
Duke Energy filed testimony in late June for North Carolina Utilities Commission hearings on a large load tariff affecting data centers and other big electricity users.
7/6/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Duke Energy executives said Aug. 4 in Charlotte that a 15.4-gigawatt data-center pipeline could add up to $10 billion to utility spending through 2030.
8/17/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Duke Energy faced pressure in North Carolina in 2026 to make large-load tariff commitments enforceable through the Utilities Commission to protect residential ratepayers from data center power costs.
7/23/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Duke Energy submitted late-June testimony to the North Carolina Utilities Commission proposing a large load tariff for data centers as hearings start July 7.
7/18/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Duke Energy filed large-load tariff testimony with the North Carolina Utilities Commission in late June to standardize data center pricing and limit consumer cost exposure.
7/18/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Gov. Josh Stein signed North Carolina's 2026 budget that repeals qualifying data center electricity tax exemptions and advances scrutiny of long-term power system costs.
7/10/2026 • Project Finance & Incentives • General
North Carolina lawmakers advanced Senate Bill 730 in 2026 to prevent existing utility customers from paying added costs for new AI-driven data-center power demand.
6/17/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
North Carolina House lawmakers advanced Senate Bill 730 on second reading, requiring data center developers to fund grid expansion and use closed-loop cooling to limit water strain.
6/3/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Rep. Matthew Winslow advanced North Carolina Senate Bill 730, imposing noise and closed-loop cooling rules and 15-year power purchase contracts for large data centers while conditioning Duke Energy coal or gas retirements on nuclear approval.
6/2/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Duke University begins preparing a Durham Central Campus site for a 1.5 MW data center permitted April 8, amid drought scrutiny and upcoming moratorium actions.
5/21/2026 • Infrastructure & Site Development • General
Josh Stein and Jeff Jackson seek a legally binding large-load tariff for Duke Energy data center power costs in North Carolina during Duke rate case proceedings.
7/23/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
North Carolina policymakers reviewed rate designs for AI data-center loads as Duke Energy pursued grid-upgrade cost recovery in a pending rate case.
6/25/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
North Carolina House lawmakers approved data center restrictions and measures aimed at accelerating Duke Energy nuclear construction as water and utility cost disputes continue.
6/3/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
North Carolina lawmakers advance Senate Bill 730 to restrict data center siting and noise impacts and require large operators to cover incremental utility costs.
6/2/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
North Carolina lawmakers, led by Rep. Pricey Harrison, plan a Ratepayer Protection Act that would make 100 MW-plus hyperscale data centers pay incremental electric service and face siting constraints.
5/20/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
ABC Carolinas is urging contractors across North Carolina and South Carolina to strengthen safety planning and workforce preparation as data center construction accelerates in 2026.
9/7/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
North Carolina General Assembly speakers and residents, joined by Rep. Maria Cervania, raised environmental and public health concerns about data centers and urged restrictions as local moratoriums expand.
6/24/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
North Carolina lawmakers are urged to pause large data-center permitting amid rising summer electricity costs, increased grid demand, and disproportionate effects on women and low-income households.
8/10/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
The Trump administration, utilities, and AI companies are pursuing a nationwide power pledge for data centers while lawmakers and municipalities debate development pauses across the United States.
7/31/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Duke Energy plans nuclear capacity expansion to meet growing data center and advanced manufacturing electricity demand in the Carolinas amid offshore wind cost and policy uncertainty.
7/14/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Duke Energy proposed additional gas plants and extended coal operations in South Carolina, while Sierra Club urged the Public Service Commission to protect customers from speculative data center costs.
8/18/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
North Carolina lawmakers advanced Senate Bill 730 on Tuesday, adding data-center cost responsibilities and delaying coal retirement pending nuclear permitting.
6/3/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
A new WRAL/WSOC poll found substantial opposition to data center development among North Carolina adults as state lawmakers debated restrictions and Duke Energy sought approval for a large-load tariff.
10/16/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Roy Cooper is campaigning for North Carolina data centers to pay their electricity costs and develop power sources, while allowing local communities to restrict new projects.
8/30/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson asked state regulators to create a separate Duke Energy rate class for data centers during ongoing rate cases in North Carolina.
9/14/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Additional
North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson asked the state Utilities Commission in North Carolina to establish separate Duke Energy rates and tighter planning requirements for data centers.
9/14/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson asked the North Carolina Utilities Commission to create a separate Duke Energy rate class for data center customers during ongoing rate-case proceedings.
9/14/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Duke Energy reported Q1 electric service agreements for data center customers, totaling about 7.6 GW executed, with advanced discussions for an additional 15.4 GW.
5/24/2026 • Market Demand & Investment • General
North Carolina House members approved Senate Bill 730 on Wednesday, advancing state restrictions on data-center electricity, water use, local incentives, and noise impacts.
6/3/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Roy Cooper and Michael Whatley are debating data center costs, subsidies, and local control during North Carolina's 2020s U.S. Senate race amid moratoriums in Charlotte and other cities.
9/14/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Duke Energy said July 23, 2026 that its Customer Protection Plus framework will deliver long-term bill relief from data center operations while funding grid investments.
7/23/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
North Carolina Republican budget leaders propose ending a data center sales tax exemption for on site electricity starting in the new fiscal year, with $21.4 million projected savings.
6/30/2026 • Project Finance & Incentives • General
Duke University started constructing a Durham GPU data center near Central Campus in 2026, while local opponents criticized approval timing under a moratorium exemption.
6/17/2026 • Infrastructure & Site Development • General
North Carolina lawmakers face criticism of Senate Bill 730 for insufficient data-center protections as moratorium proposals gain attention.
6/9/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
North Carolina House passed the Ratepayer Protection Act on Wednesday, tightening data-center rules while restricting coal plant retirement and ordering a 2050 carbon study.
6/4/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Gregory Bond is marketing a five-acre Bitcoin mining property in High Point, North Carolina, for $1.1 million as a potential data-center or AI/HPC conversion site.
7/29/2026 • Infrastructure & Site Development • General