The battle for megawatts: why restricting data centers is a strategic mistake

Résumé détaillé

Power must reach new computing capacity in time.

In Ireland, data centers consume nearly a quarter of the country’s electricity. New grid connections around Dublin were effectively frozen for three years. Under revised rules, new projects must provide generation or storage capacity onsite or nearby. Amsterdam previously imposed a moratorium on new facilities, while Frankfurt regulates their location through zoning.

In July 2026, New York State introduced a moratorium of up to one year on certain environmental permits for new large data centers. State officials said the pause would allow them to assess the facilities’ impact on the power grid and the environment. As of May 2026, data center projects representing nearly 12 GW of potential demand were in the state’s grid interconnection queue.

Should governments restrict data centers when power grids cannot keep pace? I believe they should expand power supply and grid capacity instead.

As…

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