Kentucky Data Center News

Apr 6, 2026

Elon Musk’s xAI, pollution and data centers — what you need to know about a Tennessee bill

State Rep. Ed Butler has sponsored legislation (HB1847/SB2128) to allow data centers to source or produce their own power without state regulator approval.

Main announcement: The bill (HB1847/SB2128), sponsored by Rep. Ed Butler, would let buildings that require at least 50 megawatts and primarily house digital processing equipment produce behind-the-meter power or buy from an independent power producer without oversight from the Tennessee Public Utility Commission; the bill is scheduled to be heard Tuesday before the Tennessee Senate Commerce and Labor Committee.
Background & details: The article cites xAI as a primary example (Colossus 1 used ~30 mini gas turbines, now ~15; TVA approval to source ~300 MW; approved to add 40 turbines in Mississippi; potential collective need up to 2 gigawatts), notes Tennessee has 60 data centers, data centers were about 10% of TVA’s total power load in 2025, TVA raised rates nearly 10% between 2023 and 2024, and TVA previously proposed gas plants of 200 MW (Memphis) and 300 MW (Brownsville).

Apr 2, 2026

Panel discusses how energy demand from data centers nationwide will impact Pennsylvania

The Clean Energy Group, Clean Air Council and Physicians for Social Responsibility Pennsylvania released a report titled “The High Cost of AI: How Data Centers are Reshaping Pennsylvania’s Energy Landscape.”

Main finding: The report finds Pennsylvania will export electricity to surrounding PJM states to meet growing data center demand, with PJM relying on Pennsylvania to supply energy to high-demand importers like Virginia (35% of hyperscale data centers); it projects an additional 24 to 44 million metric tons of CO2 by the end of the decade and an estimated $20 billion public health burden in 2028.
Background & local context: The report was discussed at a University of Scranton event with local officials and residents; Archbald has six proposed data center campuses under local opposition, the groups support Sen. Katie Muth’s three-year moratorium (co-sponsored by Sen. Rosemary Brown), and utilities such as PPL Electric Utilities perform system upgrade studies that can socialize costs across ratepayers.

Mar 28, 2026

Ohio EPA considers new wastewater permits for data center as locals push back

The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency is considering a new general permit to allow data centers to discharge wastewater into surface waters.

Main action: The Ohio EPA proposes a new general wastewater permit for data centers that would authorize discharges into rivers and streams and speed approvals compared with the current requirement for individual permits, while the agency says it would limit any pollution increases to cases of critical community or economic need.
Background and context: Coverage cites multiple regional “megasite“ proposals including a $4 billion Amazon Data Services project in Wilmington, Ohio and a 2,080-acre, 400-gigawatt Maysville, KY project estimated at $1 billion; the article notes local government actions (e.g., Cincinnati City Council rulemaking, Mount Orab Village Council 180-day moratorium) and a recent Clinton County judge-ordered pause on Wilmington movement to allow more public input.

Mar 24, 2026

Experts Call for Modernization, Rewrite of 1996 Telecom Act

The Subcommittee on Communications and Technology will review the Telecommunications Act of 1996 at a House hearing.

Main announcement: The Subcommittee will convene a House hearing to modernize the Telecommunications Act of 1996, with written testimony from witnesses including Michael O’Rielly, INCOMPAS CEO Chip Pickering, Adam Thierer, and Matt Wood. Witness testimony calls for promoting competition in an AI-enabled economy and streamlining permitting so that data centers, fiber networks, and transmission infrastructure can be deployed “without years of regulatory delay.”
Background and agenda: A staff memorandum from Chairman Brett Guthrie and Rep. Frank Pallone selected topics including telecom competition and regulatory structure, broadband classification, the Universal Service Fund (USF) funding mechanism, changes to Section 230, media ownership, and wireless infrastructure reforms; Michael O’Rielly highlighted concerns about USF overspending, lack of oversight of USAC, outdated cable regulations, and satellite and VoIP regulation.
- Date: hearing referenced as Thursday following the March 24, 2026 dateline (materials dated 03.26.2026)
- Location: Washington, D.C.
- Agenda/subject: Telecom Act modernization (competition, broadband classification, USF reform, Section 230, media ownership, wireless infrastructure, permitting for data centers/fiber/transmission)

Mar 22, 2026

Ohio leaders clash over data center growth amid cost, environmental concerns

U.S. Rep. Greg Landsman has introduced two bills aimed at protecting communities from potential harms posed by large-scale data centers.

Main action: Landsman’s proposals would require data centers to pay the full cost of their energy demand and infrastructure needs, mandate direct environmental impact studies, and prohibit nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) for elected officials involved in data center projects; Landsman said he is committed to pushing these protections forward.
Context and additional details: The measures were discussed at a community meeting hosted by the Coalition for Responsible Development and the University of Cincinnati’s School of Environment and Sustainability, where speakers including gubernatorial candidate Casey Putsch raised concerns about electricity and freshwater use for cooling; industry representative from DCC stated data centers are “committed to paying our full cost of service for electricity,” and Prologis purchased about 140 to 144 acres in Trenton last spring as potential site land for development.

Mar 12, 2026

Fossil generation could rise with faster-than-expected growth in data center power demand

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) published an analysis showing that faster-than-expected electricity demand growth driven by data centers could increase natural gas and coal generation and raise wholesale electricity prices.

Main analysis and assumptions: The EIA produced a high demand growth scenario in which 2026 and 2027 growth rates are 50% higher than the February STEO in data-center-heavy regions, while other regions are +1 percentage point above STEO; the scenario assumes no additional generating capacity beyond the February STEO and applies an assumed +$0.50/MMBtu increase in natural gas delivered prices across regions.
Key modeled outcomes and metrics: Under the scenario, natural gas generation rises to +7.3% (123 BkWh) between 2025–2027 (vs 1.7% baseline), coal generation declines by 5.0% (37 BkWh) nationwide in the high case, and ERCOT 2027 wholesale prices model +$37/MWh above the February STEO (excluding ERCOT the average 2027 wholesale price is +$2.10/MWh above the STEO forecast of $48/MWh).

Mar 6, 2026

AI Infrastructure Brief: Power, Capital, and Silicon Collide in the Next Phase of the Data Center Buildout

Data Center Frontier summarizes multiple AI infrastructure announcements and projects scaling to gigawatts across North America.

Main announcement/action: The article reports an industry-wide acceleration of hyperscale AI data center development, including CoreWeave’s plan to add roughly 5 GW of capacity by 2030, xAI’s $659 million permit filing for Memphis “Colossus,” Nebius’s $150.6 billion Chapter 100 bond approval, and a $2.4 billion B&W/Base Electron design-build agreement to deliver 1.2 GW of natural-gas generation to supply Applied Digital AI campuses; it also cites La Caisse’s C$240 million commitment to Cologix’s MTL8 and Google’s $40 billion investment pipeline in Texas through 2027.
Context and additional details: The report documents wider trends: institutional capital flows (Blackstone exploring a public data-center vehicle; HighBrook targeting 300 MW), growth in dedicated/behind-the-meter generation (the “power island” trend), and rising political and community scrutiny (Birmingham 180-day moratorium, Oregon HB 4084 proposal, project withdrawals/controversies in Apex NC and West Louisville).

Feb 24, 2026

Soluna CEO on Stranded Renewables, AI Data Centers, and a 'Grid Revolution'

Soluna Holdings is expanding its co-located renewable-powered data center model from bitcoin mining into AI, announcing a multi-site buildout including Project Kati and Project Dorothy and a 3-gigawatt project pipeline.

Main announcement/action: Soluna is transitioning from bitcoin-focused facilities to AI/high-performance computing campuses co-located with utility-scale wind and solar plants; key project details include a 3-gigawatt pipeline, Project Kati (166 MW planned over two phases; Kati 1 initial energization with phased commissioning through 2026; 83 MW bitcoin side; starting with 100 MW AI capacity and planned scale to >300 MW), and Project Dorothy (operational, providing 98 MW for Bitcoin hosting at two Texas sites; expanded partnership with Blockware adding 6 MW to Dorothy 1).
Background and implementation details: The model monetizes curtailed/stranded renewable generation by buying excess power from host plants, Soluna claims its builds are 18% cleaner than traditional data centers, targets single-tenant hyperscalers and neo-clouds on long-term contracts, and prioritizes AI training workloads (batchable, remote) rather than low-latency inference; utilities and transmission constraints (e.g., California 3.4 TWh curtailed cited) are central to the rationale.

Feb 20, 2026

Trump EPA to weaken rule limiting harmful mercury, air toxics from coal plants

The Trump administration announced it will roll back air regulations for coal-fired power plants limiting mercury and other hazardous air toxics.

Main action: The EPA under President Trump is rescinding/weakening elements of the Biden-era Mercury and Air Toxics Standard (MATS) and rolling back related regulatory requirements, arguing easing standards will reduce costs for utilities and boost baseload energy to meet rising power demand (including from data centers). The administration previously issued an “energy emergency” proclamation and invited coal plants to request temporary exemptions; 68 plants received two-year exemptions under that process.
Background and concrete details: The Biden-era MATS update would have cut allowable mercury pollution by 70% and reduced emissions of nickel, arsenic, lead and other toxic metals by two-thirds, with estimated health cost savings of $420 million through 2037 (Environmental Defense Fund). The EPA has also repealed the “endangerment finding”, and the White House directed the Pentagon to purchase power from coal plants; coal plants produce less than 20% of U.S. electricity (EIA).

Jan 27, 2026

Pumped hydro, high-temperature thermal storage, and geothermal LDES projects make key advancements across the US

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has issued a 40-year license to Rye Development and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners for the 1,200MW Goldendale pumped hydroelectric Energy Storage Project in Washington, US.

Main announcement and project details: The FERC license grants a 40-year approval for the 1,200MW Goldendale pumped hydro project developed by Rye Development for fund manager Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CI V) on private land at a former aluminium smelter near Goldendale, Washington. The project is expected to have a 4–5 year construction period, an MOU requires union labour via agreements with the Washington State Building & Construction Trades Council and the Columbia Pacific Building & Construction Trades Council, and Rye Development projects over 3,000 family-wage jobs during construction and more than US$10 million each year to Klickitat County upon operation.
Other milestones and background: Electrified Thermal Solutions has commissioned a 20MWh Joule-Hive thermal battery at Southwest Research Institute (San Antonio, Texas) that stores heat up to 1,800°C, serves 1–5MW thermal loads and targets 2GW of thermal power capacity by 2030; Sage Geosystems closed US$97 million in Series B funding led by Ormat Technologies and Carbon Direct Capital to advance its first commercial Pressure Geothermal plant at an Ormat facility and its EarthStore solution (claims of unlocking over 130× more geothermal potential in the US).
- Event: Energy Storage Summit USA — 24-25 March 2026, Dallas, TX
  - Agenda/subject: keynote speeches and panel discussions on FEOC challenges, power demand forecasting, and managing the BESS supply chain.

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