Energy analyst: Data center moratoriums scare off developers
(The Center Square) - As more Colorado local governments implement temporary bans on data centers, developers are better off looking elsewhere, according to an energy policy analyst. Sarah Montalbano, who researches energy and natural resources at the Denver-based Independence Institute, said these recent decisions by Fort Collins and Littleton are “coming out of a broader trend in Colorado where cities and municipalities” are deciding their own rules about data centers. This week, Fort Collins and Littleton both approved a six-month temporary moratorium on data centers. At least 16 local governments in Colorado have adopted temporary moratoriums on new data centers, including Denver, the state’s largest city. The moratorium gives the impression that Colorado doesn’t want data center developers, Montalbano explained. Ginny Sawyer, Fort Collins City Manager Kelly DiMartino’s assistant, told The Center Square that the city council implemented the moratorium to give it “time to pause potential applications and see what regulations [it] might want to put in place.” Fort Collins, a city of around 175,000 people, raised concerns about data centers’ use of water and electricity, as well as lighting and noise, she noted. The city’s ordinance says the data center moratorium lasts until April 6, 2027. Sawyer said
