Why data center slowdown fears are overblown and what insiders know

Utility CEOs and energy-focused investors speaking at the Edison Electric Institute annual conference in Arizona stated that concerns regarding the demise of data centers are heavily exaggerated. While new incoming politicians in states like Ohio, Georgia, and Texas have campaigned on addressing affordability issues related to data centers, insiders note that federal officials have little control over these state-level issues. In Texas, which serves as an energy and data center capital, current Governor Greg Abbott has placed a pause on data center permitting. However, the direct power to regulate electricity, grid connections, and environmental permits lies with specific state agencies like the Public Utility Commission of Texas and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, whose key regulators were appointed by Abbott and hold terms extending for years.