North Carolina Data Center Reforms Tied to More Fossil Fuels

RALEIGH, NC — The North Carolina House of Representatives approved a bill Wednesday putting guardrails on data center development, while also doubling down on fossil fuel production. 

Proponents of Senate Bill 730 say the bill will help keep costs down through local regulations on data centers, but the cost savings remain unclear under provisions that extend the life of coal-fired power plants and call for the buildout of more fossil fuel infrastructure. The provisions could upend the state’s 2050 carbon neutrality goal.  

Drew Ball, southeastern campaigns director for NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council), has the following reaction:  

“This is a good first step in putting guardrails up on data center development. But the bill ultimately shortchanges ratepayers by limiting new energy development to coal and nuclear power. Data centers are hungry for new energy sources, and clean energy is still the fastest, cheapest way to deliver on those demands. Extending the production of the most expensive forms of power generation will not protect the ratepayers.”  

The bill passed the House 69–44. It will go back to the Senate for approval.  

 NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 3 million members and online activists. Established in 1970, NRDC uses science, policy, law and people power to confront the climate crisis, protect public health and safeguard nature. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Beijing and Delhi (an office of NRDC India Pvt. Ltd).