Data Centers: Daily Notes | November 9, 2026
Data center rules advance: Pennsylvania lawmakers propose statewide hyperscale requirements, Upper Sandusky voters cap data centers at 25 megawatts, Grand County weighs a ban, and Google’s San Jose project could beat new city standards.
At A Glance 🔽
- Pennsylvania lawmakers introduced House Bill 2888, which would set statewide energy, water, employment and reporting requirements for hyperscale data centers, though the legislative session ends Nov. 30.
- Upper Sandusky, Ohio voters approved a charter amendment, 1,893 to 568, that bars data centers using more than 25 megawatts within city limits.
- San Jose, California could approve Google’s proposed 250-megawatt project in Alviso as early as December, possibly before the city’s new data center standards take effect.
- Grand County, Utah commissioners voted unanimously to spend up to $5,000 for draft data center policy options, including a possible countywide ban.
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania lawmakers introduced House Bill 2888 on Nov. 4, which would set statewide energy, water, employment, and reporting requirements for hyperscale data centers.
The bill would require operators of new hyperscale facilities to secure enough additional electricity capacity to meet their full demand and certify that changes to their energy plans won’t raise costs for other customers. It would also require water-management plans and annual disclosure of electricity and water use, with hydrogeological studies and monitoring possible depending on location. New or expanding facilities would need community-benefit plans with at least $250 million in investment, 200 prevailing-wage construction jobs, and 50 permanent jobs paying at least 125% of the state’s average wage.
The bill has been referred to the House Energy Committee, and the legislative session ends Nov. 30.
Upper Sandusky, Ohio
Upper Sandusky voters approved a charter amendment barring data centers with an electrical demand above 25 megawatts within city limits, 1,893 to 568, on Nov. 3.
Amanda Caswell
The measure followed months of opposition to Smartland Energy’s proposed $900 million development on about 146 acres near the city’s northern edge, which included data centers and a 150-megawatt natural gas power plant. Smartland later withdrew its zoning request, and City Council unanimously approved a six-month moratorium on data centers and related power plants on July 6. Residents worked with attorneys from Conserve Ohio to draft the amendment, which applies only inside city limits and doesn’t affect the rest of Wyandot County.
San Jose, California
Google’s proposed project at 5079 and 5087 Disk Drive in Alviso could come up for approval at a planning director’s hearing as early as December, potentially ahead of San Jose’s new data center standards.
The project, which Google has described as a research and development lab, would require 250 megawatts and include up to three facilities across nearly 483,000 square feet. Project blueprints show an on-site substation, generator yards, and cooling stations, and the California Public Utilities Commission treats it as a data center, while the city refers to it as a large-energy use project.
The City Council is expected to vote on the data center standards in December, and projects approved before the standards are finalized would be exempt. City officials don’t plan a full environmental review, relying instead on prior environmental reports from 2000 and 2013.
Grand County, Utah
Grand County commissioners voted unanimously Nov. 4 to spend up to $5,000 hiring Sunrise Engineering to draft data center policy options, including a possible outright ban across the county.
Owen Matthews
The firm will prepare draft ordinance or land-use code language for two paths: prohibiting data centers entirely, or allowing smaller facilities under specific conditions. Drafts are expected within about two weeks. The county’s land-use code doesn’t currently define data centers, and a temporary regulation adopted July 7 has paused applications for data centers, related power plants, and digital infrastructure until Jan. 3, 2027. Planning commission review, public hearings, and county commission consideration will follow, though no dates have been set.
📱 Social Buzz
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Em Dela Cruz
Em Dela Cruz
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