Minnesota Data Center News

May 15, 2026

Regulatory statement: Commission approves Xcel Energy’s large load tariff

The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission approved Xcel Energy’s proposed large load tariff.

Main action: The Commission approved Xcel Energy’s large load tariff which requires a 15-year minimum contract between large facilities and the utility, imposes an 80% demand charge fee if a large facility exits the contract early, and directs Xcel to create a separate large customer rate class for data centers to assign costs in future rate cases. Both Xcel Energy and Minnesota Power have filed large load tariff proposals; Otter Tail Power intends to file a similar proposal in the future. Fresh Energy will engage in Xcel Energy’s Electric Service Agreement filings for proposed data centers, which are expected next month.
Background/details: The decision is framed as a measure for consumer protections as utilities address growing demand from data centers in Minnesota. Fresh Energy (Will Mulhern, director, electricity) commented in support and said it will continue advocacy for an affordable and equitable clean energy transition in subsequent Commission filings. The article reports an approval action by the Commission rather than a speculative outcome.

May 14, 2026

Policymakers Consider Temporary Pause on AI Data Center Construction: What Stakeholders Need to Know

On March 25, 2026, Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez announced the Artificial Intelligence Data Center Moratorium Act.

Main announcement: The Artificial Intelligence Data Center Moratorium Act, introduced by Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on March 25, 2026, would impose a nationwide halt on constructing or upgrading new or existing data centers with a power demand of 20 megawatts (MW) or more until “strong national safeguards” are in place; the Act also seeks to bar government subsidies, require union labor/prevailing wages, and give affected communities ability to approve or reject projects.
Background and related measures: Multiple state and local actions are cited including New York Senate Bill 9144 (prohibits permits for data centers capable of using 20 MW or more until new regulations), indefinite local moratoriums (e.g., Oldham County, KY), over 100 localities with moratoria, a reported $156 billion across 48 projects blocked or delayed in 2025, and the Port Washington, WI referendum requiring voter approval for tax-increment financing for projects with base value or project costs over $10 million; Virginia legislative action (Senate Bill 30) would end a sales/use tax exemption for certain data center equipment on January 1, 2027.

May 7, 2026

50 States of Power Decarbonization Q1 2026: Lawmakers Tackle Cost Allocation and Ratepayer Protections for Large Load Additions

The NC Clean Energy Technology Center released the Q1 2026 edition of the 50 States of Power Decarbonization report.

Report release & key findings: The Q1 2026 report documents 509 actions taken by 49 states plus Puerto Rico during the quarter and notes more than 600 introduced bills not yet passed. It reports planned capacity additions of 58,276 MW solar, 54,952 MW natural gas, 30,297 MW storage, and 22,358 MW wind, and 30,967 MW of planned coal retirements.
Top developments & context: The report highlights top policy developments including the Arizona Corporation Commission repealing the state renewable energy standard, Florida requiring large load tariffs, a North Carolina task force report on large load growth, Virginia rejoining RGGI, and El Paso Electric proposing large load tariffs in New Mexico; the most active states in Q1 2026 were Virginia, Wisconsin, Maryland, and Arizona.

May 6, 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, has posted the latest data center job listings on its jobs board.

Monthly job roundup: The post lists multiple open roles including Power Applications Engineer, Electrical Commissioning Engineer, Power Systems Sales Implementation Engineer, Architect Design Manager (CSA), Electrical Project Manager, Commissioning Project Manager, MEP Superintendent, Director of Data Center Facility Operations, Project Executive (Owner’s Rep), EHS Director, Mechanical Commissioning Lead, Mechanical Controls Engineer, Director of Project Deliverables, and Senior Electrical Engineer across numerous U.S. locations (examples: Pittsburgh, PA; New Albany, OH; Raleigh, NC; Dallas, TX; Charlotte, NC; Chesterton, IN; Denver, CO; New York, NY; Totowa, NJ), with many roles offering remote or multi-city travel options.
Client and role context: Positions are with mission-critical data center developers, engineering design and commissioning firms, electrical contracting firms, general contractors, and digital infrastructure firms; job descriptions emphasize reliability, energy efficiency, sustainable design, and LEED expertise, and note career-growth opportunities, competitive salaries and benefits. Many listings reference travel requirements and alternative available locations for implementation timelines (immediate hiring/use by clients), but no specific salary or funding amounts are disclosed.

May 5, 2026 · RMI

Unpacking the PJM CIFP Decision: What PJM States Can Do to Ensure Affordable, Reliable Electricity During the Data Center Boom

The PJM Board announced a plan on January 16, 2026 to address challenges from surging large electricity customers and called for state engagement on implementation of the CIFP-LLA framework.

Main action: PJM released a CIFP-LLA plan proposing revised regional load forecasting, voluntary Bring-Your-Own-New-Generation (BYONG) options, a “connect and manage” curtailment approach, and a new “reliability backstop” capacity auction; the plan targets management of rapid data center-driven load growth (PJM region: 13 states + DC, projected ~30 GW new demand by 2030) and establishes an Expedited Interconnection Track (EIT) for 10 qualifying BYONG projects annually with a 250 MW UCAP threshold noted.
Context and next steps: This RMI analysis provides state-focused guidance (regulatory and legislative) for large load tariffs, non-firm service and BYO tariffs, permitting reforms, VPPs and ATTs, and participation in PJM’s upcoming Reliability Backstop Procurement (RBP) workshops tied to the 2027/2028 auction; it is an advisory/analysis piece rather than a primary regulatory order and references federal bodies such as FERC and the White House Energy Dominance Council for related jurisdictional developments.

May 1, 2026

Scenes from the great data center revolt

Andy Patrizio reports growing community and political pushback against multiple proposed data center projects across the United States.

Widespread local opposition and legal/political actions: Multiple communities have moved from passive concern to active resistance, including a recall of four Festus, Missouri city council members after approval of a $6 billion, 360-acre data center proposal; a citizens’ lawsuit in Hermantown, Minnesota to block a $1.5 billion Google “Project Loon” site; and a coalition in Pennsylvania seeking a three-year moratorium plus legislation (HB 2150, HB 1834, HB 2151) requiring reporting on energy/water use, banning cost-shifting to residents, and a model zoning ordinance.
Project specifics and mitigations for two large developments: In Box Elder County, Utah, a Kevin O’Leary–backed hyperscale campus on 40,000 acres plans an initial ~3 GW power need and up to 9 GW at full buildout with on-site power via the Ruby Pipeline (MIDA says “100% of the power will be generated off the Ruby Pipeline”); Wyoming’s Project Jade expanded from 1.8 GW to 2.7 GW (designer says theoretically up to 10 GW) and proposes closed-loop water cooling with initial fill equivalent to ~20 households and ongoing use equivalent to <3 households per year.

Apr 25, 2026

Life With Liz: Develop technology to help save environment

Liz Pinkey argues that technology should be developed to help save the environment.

Main announcement/action: Liz Pinkey calls for developing technology that both enables modern connectivity and protects local environments, urging caution over recent trends such as data center construction on local advisory agendas and policy moves affecting public lands.
Background and details: The column cites the United States Forest Service being “systemically dismantled”, steps to lift mining restrictions on the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (Minnesota), and concerns about back-door deals and large corporations acquiring land; she also references local reclamation projects and recent warehouse/data center development patterns.

Apr 24, 2026

Data Center Permits: How Long They Take and What Speeds Approval

The article provides guidance on data center permitting timelines and strategies for accelerating approvals.

Main finding: In the US, securing permits for a new-build data center typically takes 6 to 18 months, with some outliers exceeding two years; the piece recommends practical tactics such as choosing experienced jurisdictions, submitting complete plans, front‑loading environmental assessments, and phased builds (e.g., launching a simpler initial build and adding complex elements later).
Context and references: The article is informational (not a legal notice) and references recent policy activity including a White House directive (July 2025) to accelerate federal permitting, state-level incentives in Pennsylvania, and proposed/tabled measures in New York, Minnesota, and Maine; it also notes examples (e.g., a Loudoun County, Virginia project) and cites industry sources including DataCenterKnowledge, DataCenterDynamics, and Shovels.ai.

Apr 23, 2026

Rethinking Load Growth: New Partnerships Between Power Developers and Midstream Natural Gas Companies

Freddie Sarhan, CEO of Sapphire Technologies, argues that recovered energy from natural gas infrastructure (pressure drop and waste-heat recovery) is a commercially viable, fast-deploying source of clean, baseload-like power that can help meet accelerated load growth.

Main announcement/action: The commentary urges developers and utilities to pursue turboexpander and waste-heat-to-power projects at existing pipeline regulating facilities and compressor stations, noting an analysis identifying more than 3,500 regulating facilities with suitable flow regimes for power recovery, eligibility for the Section 48E clean electricity investment tax credit (via the One Big Beautiful Bill, 2025), and deployment timelines measured in months rather than years.
Background and supporting details: The piece cites sharply rising demand forecasts — five-year utility peak load growth increased from 24 GW to 166 GW through 2030 and data center demand could reach 176 GW by 2035 — plus system constraints (average 10-year transmission project timelines; an ~2,600 GW interconnection queue). It also references ATTs increasing transmission capacity by 10%–30% and that advanced conductors could save $85 billion in system costs by 2035, while states including Virginia, Minnesota, Colorado, and Maine are requiring ATT evaluations in IRPs.

Apr 23, 2026

3 things to know about data centers in Minnesota

Fresh Energy says data centers built in Minnesota must use clean energy, pay for needed grid infrastructure, and pilot waste-heat and other clean-heat technologies to avoid hindering the state’s decarbonization goals.

Main announcement/action: Fresh Energy calls for data centers to comply with Minnesota’s 100% clean electricity by 2040 law, to pay the full costs of any local electricity infrastructure upgrades (per the 2025 data center policy package), and to pilot clean-heat capture from server waste heat for local heating uses.
Background/details: The organization highlights that data centers in Minnesota should be powered largely by wind, solar, battery storage, and demand response programs, that the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission must oversee rate design and integrated resource planning to prevent indirect rate impacts, and that references include Minnesota being 50% carbon-free for electricity and North Dakota examples of large loads affecting rates.

Minnesota Data Center Intel

Recent Minnesota data center news