Georgia Data Center News

Jun 24, 2026

Construction employment rises in 30 states over past year, AGC reports

The Associated General Contractors of America reported that construction employment increased in 30 states and the District of Columbia between May 2025 and May 2026.

Main announcement: AGC reported state construction employment increased in 30 states and D.C. between May 2025 and May 2026; Texas added 18,700 jobs (2.1%), North Carolina added 13,600, Wisconsin added 9,000, and Wisconsin posted the largest percentage increase (6.2%); California recorded the largest annual decline at 13,100 jobs (−1.5%).
Monthly detail and risks: From April to May, construction employment increased in 23 states and D.C., declined in 22 states, and was unchanged in 5 states; monthly leaders included Texas (+3,600) and Wisconsin (+2,900). AGC officials Ken Simonson and Jeffrey D. Shoaf cautioned that opposition to data center projects and uncertainty over federal transportation funding pose threats to future construction job growth.

Jun 23, 2026

Budget Decisions Don’t Address Core Data Center Issues

The Piedmont Environmental Council announced that Virginia’s General Assembly and the governor are continuing a $2-billion-per-year tax exemption for data centers while proposing an “electricity use tax” equal to one-third of that exemption.

Main announcement/action: The PEC criticizes the continuation of a $2-billion-per-year tax exemption for data centers and highlights a proposed “electricity use tax” that is one-third of that exemption; the PEC calls for the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC) to assign data center infrastructure costs to data centers rather than ratepayers.
Background and other details: The statement notes the budget compromise does not direct allocation of costs for more than 200 substations and thousands of miles of transmission lines tied to data center demand; PEC President Chris Miller urges SCC action and references other states (Michigan, Georgia, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Vermont) that have proposed moratorium legislation on data center growth.

Jun 22, 2026

DataBank files for 200MW data center campus outside Atlanta, Georgia

DataBank has filed a Development of Regional Impact (DRI) application with the Georgia Department of Community Affairs to develop a new data center campus called Project Indo in Cartersville, Georgia.

Project details: DataBank filed for a 200MW, 1.1 million sq ft (102,193 sqm) data center campus on 69 acres at 218 Industrial Park Road (Project Indo), with a 288MW utility grid connection requested and the first phase potentially launching in 2032.
Background and context: The land is owned by Colloid Environmental Technologies Company (CETCO) (an existing manufacturing site near a substation); the project is estimated at $2.4 billion at full build-out. DataBank currently operates 65+ data centers across 25 US metro markets and has a 177MW footprint in Atlanta across six facilities (751,270 sq ft).

Jun 10, 2026

New York Confronts the Data Center Boom: Balancing Growth and Grid Reform

Democratic legislators introduced a bill for a three-year moratorium on new large data centers, and Governor Kathy Hochul directed the New York State Public Service Commission to open a regulatory proceeding to reform large-load interconnections.

Three-year moratorium introduced by Democratic legislators: The bill would freeze state and local approvals for any new data center exceeding 20 MW for three years, require the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to conduct a comprehensive environmental review and issue regulations, and direct the state utility regulator to adopt rules preventing residential ratepayers from shouldering energy cost increases attributable to data centers.
Governor Hochul directed PSC to institute a proceeding under “Energize NY Development”: The PSC issued an Order Instituting Proceeding and Soliciting Comments (Case 26-E-0045) noting 11.9 GW of pending large-load projects in the NYISO queue (more than 8.3 GW entered in 2025); the Order lists six core objectives and sets initial comments due May 13, 2026 and reply comments due June 15, 2026, with a technical conference by Dec 31, 2026 and a white paper due Feb 12, 2027.

Jun 5, 2026

Google commits to replenish more water than it uses by 2030

Google announced a goal to replenish more water than it uses by 2030 and committed $17 million to water stewardship projects across seven U.S. states.

Main announcement: Google committed to replenish more water than it uses by 2030, is investing $17 million in new water stewardship projects across Georgia, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, and Texas, and is reviewing 700+ RFI submissions to identify early-concept projects eligible for co-funding that can come online before 2030. The announcement was published in a company blog (June 3) by Google leaders Bikash Koley and Ben Townsend, and Google reported replenishing over 7 billion gallons in 2025 and expects to replenish over 19 billion gallons by 2030 through its stewardship projects.
Background and implementation details: Google currently has 165 water stewardship projects across 97 watersheds and pledged to help local utilities modernize infrastructure, report annual water consumption, and use air cooling or recycled/alternative water in at-risk areas (noting Google states water cooling uses ~10% less energy than air cooling). Google joined the Data Center Innovation Initiative with Amazon, Meta and Microsoft to pilot sustainable data center technologies. Independent findings cited include Berkeley Lab data on U.S. data center water use (66 billion liters direct in 2023; 60–124 billion liters projected direct use by 2028 for hyperscale centers; ~800 billion liters indirect via electricity in 2023), and reports from Ceres and WRI on uneven corporate progress and global water stress.

Jun 4, 2026

Data center developers ousted from Monterey Park as voters approve permanent ban

Monterey Park has permanently banned data centers via Measure NDC.

Measure NDC approved: More than 86% of voters approved a permanent ban on data centers in Monterey Park, codifying a moratorium in effect since late January; the ban bars any new computing facilities inside city limits and can only be overturned by another citywide vote. Key local facts: city population ~62,000, a proposed 250,000-square-foot data center by HMC Capital had its application withdrawn in April.
Context and background: The article documents broader regional and state-level resistance — mentions a massive Box Elder County project backed by investor Kevin O’Leary, states that have introduced moratoriums or bans (Georgia, Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Vermont), and notes Maine’s legislature passed a statewide moratorium bill that was vetoed by Gov. Janet Mills.

Jun 3, 2026

Data Center Jobs: Engineering, Construction, Commissioning, Sales, Field Service and Facility Tech Jobs Available in Major Data Center Hotspots

Data Center Frontier, in partnership with Pkaza, posts the latest data center career opportunities on its jobs board.

Main announcement: Data Center Frontier and Pkaza have published a roundup of active data center job openings covering roles such as Mechanical Applications Engineer, Electrical Commissioning Engineer, Project Coordinator, Architect Design Manager, Electrical Project Manager, Commissioning Project Manager, Controls PM, Facility Operations Director, Project Executive (Owner’s Rep), and other critical-facilities positions across multiple U.S. locations (examples include Pittsburgh, PA; New Albany, OH; Ashburn, VA; Charlotte, NC; Denver, CO; Naperville, IL). Many roles note remote, traveling, or multiple-city availability and relocation options where specified.
Background / details: This is a recurring/monthly jobs-posting series powered by Pkaza Critical Facilities Recruiting and the Data Center Frontier jobs board; listings emphasise employer needs for MEP/critical facilities design, commissioning, mission-critical power and cooling expertise, energy efficiency and LEED experience, and include travel/remote work options and multiple-site listings for several roles. No monetary values, contract amounts, or deal announcements are included.

Jun 3, 2026 · Google

Google’s water stewardship commitments for local communities

Google is announcing new water stewardship commitments to responsibly manage water at its data centers and to replenish more water than it consumes by 2030.

Main announcement: Google commits to replenish more water than it consumes at its sites by 2030, listing five specific commitments (replenishment ambition, infrastructure modernization, air-cooled solutions for at-risk watersheds, transparent annual reporting, and pursuing reclaimed water). In 2025 Google replenished more than 7 billion gallons, currently manages 165 water stewardship projects across 97 watersheds, and states that projects (once fully implemented) are expected to replenish more than 19 billion gallons annually by 2030. Google is also evaluating more than 700 projects submitted to its Water Replenishment RFI.
Background and implementation details: Google says it has committed over $500 million to water, wastewater and water reuse infrastructure to date and is announcing $17 million in support of new projects across seven U.S. states (Georgia, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Texas). Example partners/actions include Ducks Unlimited (wetlands enhancement, Flint River WMA), The Great Outdoors Foundation + Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (convert 5,000 acres to perennial systems), Huron River Watershed Council (expand green infrastructure), Trust for Public Land (restore 84 acres of floodplain forest), and local utility programs such as Metropolitan Utilities District’s leak detection; many projects are ongoing and repayment/implementation timelines target completion/increase in replenishment by 2030.

Jun 1, 2026

Can Data Centers Really Lower Electric Bills?

DTE Energy, Indiana Michigan Power and Georgia Power have each advanced claims that large data centers could lower electricity bills for existing customers.

Main announcement/action: Utilities (DTE Energy, Indiana Michigan Power, Georgia Power) argue that large data-center load growth can reduce overall customer rates if revenues from hyperscale customers are allocated to rate relief; examples include Indiana Michigan Power’s 3.6% customer-bill reduction tied to an operating Google data center and DTE’s projection of roughly $300 million annually in affordability benefits if planned data-center projects come online.
Background and implementation details: Regulatory approvals and safeguards vary: Georgia Power won approval to lower overall bills while preserving a base-rate freeze through 2028 and projects >8 GW of load growth through 2030; Indiana’s settlement requires 20-year service agreements, enhanced collateral, and minimum billing obligations equal to 90% of contracted demand to limit stranded-cost risk; DTE has proposed pausing future rate requests for at least two years contingent on projects materializing.

Jun 1, 2026 · Information Technology and Innovation Foundation

Targeted Pressure: How Chinese Manufacturing Competition Impacts US States

The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) has published a report finding Chinese industrial policy is reshaping global manufacturing and harming industries across every U.S. state.

Main finding & method: The ITIF report (June 1, 2026) analyzes one “national power industry” per state using County Business Patterns employment data, HS/SITC export proxies, and global market-share series to conclude that state-backed Chinese subsidies, export pushes, and overcapacity are driving down prices and pressuring U.S. producers in sectors such as semiconductors, batteries, aircraft, and fabricated metals.
Key facts, numbers, and timelines:China plans ~$150 billion in semiconductor investment through 2030 vs. $52 billion under the U.S. CHIPS funding; the report cites $63.3 billion Chinese semiconductor spending in H1 2025, TSMC’s $165 billion U.S. investment announcement, GE Appliances’ $490 million Appliance Park investment (2025), and state/national export shares and HS-code trade series used throughout the analyses.

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