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Council Approves 45-Day AI Data Center Development Moratorium

By Drooid · Oct 29, 2026 · How we work

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Summary

Council approved a 45-day moratorium on new AI data center development.
Mayor Todd Gloria signed an executive order freezing construction.
Moratorium exempts data centers supporting public safety, emergency operations, or on-site equipment for schools, hospitals, retailers, industries.
City will create a 15-member working group to study electricity and water impacts on utility bills, housing, neighborhoods.

History

Seattle’s 2018 data-center moratorium, backed by Mayor Jenny Durkan and Puget Sound Energy, capped new demand at 500 MW—about 5 % of regional capacity. This followed a decade of rapid data-center expansion that LBNL later reported accounted for 4.4 % of U.S. electricity use in 2023 and is driving similar freezes, such as San Diego’s 45-day ban, as municipalities grapple with grid strain and water-use pressures.

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Seattle’s 2018 data-center moratorium, backed by Mayor Jenny Durkan and Puget Sound Energy, capped new demand at 500 MW—about 5 % of regional capacity. This followed a decade of rapid data-center expansion that LBNL later reported accounted for 4.4 % of U.S. electricity use in 2023 and is driving similar freezes, such as San Diego’s 45-day ban, as municipalities grapple with grid strain and water-use pressures.

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