Maine governor vetoes bill temporarily banning large data centers in the state
TL;DR
The governor of Maine, Janet Mills, has vetoed a bill that halts the construction of large data centers in the state until the fall of 2027. While the bill passed both houses of the Maine's legislature on April 14, and Mills has suggested she'd support a temporary moratorium, the governor wanted a bill that would exempt an existing data center project in Jay, Maine. The bill specifically blocked the construction of data centers that consume 20 megawatts of power or more and directs state agencies and other entities to not issue permits unless proposed projects fall under those energy needs.
Nauti's Take
Mills' veto avoids a blunt regulatory overreach and protects an existing project — reasonable pragmatism. The downside: Maine now lacks a framework for managing the growing energy footprint of AI data centers.
States eager to attract AI infrastructure need to pair that ambition with serious energy policy.
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