Story perspectives

Polling Shows 64% Disapprove Data Center Buildouts Ahead 2026

8/27/2026

Summary

Candidates Oppose Data-centers

U.S. candidates from both parties are centering data-center opposition in 2026 midterm campaigns.
A University of Pennsylvania Annenberg poll finds three in five Americans oppose local data centers.
A Reuters/Ipsos survey shows 64% disapprove data-center build-out and 77% fear higher electricity rates.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed an order pausing data-center approvals and demanding community consent.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro issued an order requiring local approval before state data-center permits.

Summary

Kimmeridge Warns

Kimmeridge Energy Management warns up to 50% of U.S. data-center projects face delay or cancellation.
Ben Dell says data centers could drive 5-10 billion cubic feet per day of U.S. gas demand.
Delays may push gas-demand forecasts toward the lower end of that range, risking European supply gaps.
Kimmeridge holds stakes in the $13 billion Commonwealth LNG export terminal in Louisiana, slated to ship 9.5 million tonnes annually around 2030.

History

Historical Context

Texas’ history of grid failures—from the 1989 cold-wave blackout to the 2021 storm that left over 3.6 million customers without power—has driven tighter ERCOT oversight and winter-hardening mandates. Governor George W. Bush declared a state of emergency during the early-2000s rolling blackouts, a precedent echoed today as Gov. Greg Abbott pauses data-center permits while Gov. Josh Shapiro pushes consent rules.

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Candidates Oppose Data-centers

U.S. candidates from both parties are centering data-center opposition in 2026 midterm campaigns.
A University of Pennsylvania Annenberg poll finds three in five Americans oppose local data centers.
A Reuters/Ipsos survey shows 64% disapprove data-center build-out and 77% fear higher electricity rates.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed an order pausing data-center approvals and demanding community consent.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro issued an order requiring local approval before state data-center permits.

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