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VT · State profile
Vermont Data Center Intel
Latest data center news, projects, power and policy across Vermont — updated daily.
Recent Vermont data center news
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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.
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FERC Targets Grid Rules for Data Centers and Large Loads
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has ordered the nation’s six largest grid operators to justify or rewrite rules governing how large power users connect to the grid.
- Main action: FERC issued show-cause orders to PJM, MISO, Southwest Power Pool, CAISO, ISO New England, and NYISO, requiring them to explain within 60 days why existing tariffs remain just and reasonable or to propose reforms, and directing each operator and its transmission owners to file a resource adequacy report within 30 days. The orders affect markets serving roughly 200 million Americans across more than 30 states and the District of Columbia and target five reform areas (transmission study processes; cost-allocation; co-location/behind-the-meter generation; new transmission services for flexible large loads; evaluation of proximate generation).
- Context and details: The action builds on a Department of Energy large-load interconnection proceeding, follows review of more than 3,500 pages of comments, and is prompted by AI-driven data center demand. FERC said reforms should apply prospectively (not disturb finalized large-load arrangements) and left the broader DOE large-load docket open for potential additional action.
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Sen. Cotton Alleges Chinese Influence Behind U.S. Data Center Backlash, Demands DOJ Probe
Sen. Tom Cotton has asked the Department of Justice to investigate alleged foreign influence efforts targeting U.S. AI infrastructure and domestic opposition to data center construction.
- Main action: Sen. Tom Cotton sent a June 10 letter to Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche requesting a DOJ probe into what he describes as “a network of foreign actors, led by the Chinese Communist Party,” and alleges U.S. nonprofits funded by Shanghai-based Neville Roy Singham have channeled money into domestic advocacy opposing data center development.
- Background and details:Beijing is reported to be preparing a ~$295 billion, five-year plan to finance a nationwide network of data centers (state-owned telecom companies to operate many facilities); an Ipsos poll found 64% oppose rapid AI data center construction, 77% worry about higher electricity prices, and 57% would oppose a data center in their own community. The article also cites Sen. Bernie Sanders’ recent panel (including a Tsinghua University professor) and his proposed temporary federal moratorium on new data center construction until grid and environmental impacts are studied.
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Fiber Internet Companies to Reduce Prices Amid General U.S. Inflation
Wire 3 and NEK Broadband have announced price reductions for their fiber-optic internet plans.
- Main announcement:Wire 3 (Florida) and NEK Broadband (Vermont) are reducing prices on their fiber-optic internet plans and offering no contract and no hidden fees to create budget-friendly options for consumers. The change is presented as a response to rising costs across the U.S. and was reported on June 10, 2026.
- Background and details: The article is a publisher report by Broadband Breakfast that highlights the two providers and their fiber-optic infrastructure; no specific price points, timelines for rollout, or contract lengths beyond “no contract” were disclosed in the article.
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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.
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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.
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Vermont Blocks AI Data Center Bill
Gov. Phil Scott vetoed H. 727, an act relating to sustainable data center deployment, returning the bill unsigned on June 1, 2026.
- Main action: Gov. Phil Scott returned H. 727 unsigned, citing “unacceptable risks to the state’s economic competitiveness” and stating the state already has adequate oversight tools in place. The bill would have imposed new regulations on AI data centers in Vermont.
- Background/details: The article reports the veto as a rejection of the proposed sustainable data center deployment legislation; the content references the Vermont Legislature bill page (H. 727) and was published via Broadband Breakfast on June 1, 2026. No implementation timeline, funding amounts, or alternative regulatory actions were specified.
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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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Texture Raises $12.5M to Tackle the Operational Complexity of the Modern Grid
Texture announced a $12.5 million Series A financing co-led by VoLo Earth Ventures and Equal Ventures on May 20, 2026.
- Funding and purpose: The Series A is $12.5 million, with participation from Lerer Hippeau and Abstract Ventures; the round brings Texture’s total funding to approximately $23 million and will fund team growth and platform expansion (Texture is already operational at utility cooperatives and energy companies and holds SOC 2 Type I and Type II certifications).
- Deployment and partnerships: Texture provides a real-time grid “operating layer” with 50+ OEM integrations (including Tesla, FranklinWH, Honeywell, Ecobee, SolarEdge), is used by Vermont Electric Cooperative, enabled an Ann Arbor community battery across 100 homes (operational March 2026), and has a partnership with NRTC to offer the NRTC DERMS to 850 member co-ops; Kareem Dabbagh (VoLo) joined Texture’s board as part of the financing.
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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.