Poll Finds 76% Oppose Local Data Centers as 87 GW Is Under Construction

U.S. data-center capacity under construction stands at 87 gigawatts (GW), while local opposition may delay projects planned for 2028 to 2030.

Nov. 3 exit-poll results showed 76% of voters opposed building data centers in their communities. In communities where data centers already operate, 49% supported them and 42% opposed them. The results showed a divide between opposition to new sites and more mixed views in communities where facilities are established.

All projects scheduled for delivery through the end of 2027 were in active construction. Capacity under construction rose by a net 7 GW in October. Texas starts fell to 0.6 GW that month from 3.4 GW in September.

An estimated 10% of deliveries planned for 2028 to 2030 could be delayed under moderate schedule slippage. Under strict local moratoriums, the share could reach 28%. A post-vote forecast revision reduced expected deliveries for that period by about 11%.

Capacity stalled in approval and connection queues totaled 61 GW, about 13% of the planned pipeline. That total rose by 9 GW in October. In Ashville, Ohio, nearly 82% of voters backed rescinding an agreement for a data-center campus under construction, another example of a local challenge to a project already in development.

In comparisons of different project proposals, options that included self-supplied power, community benefits and a local veto drew 64% support. Disputes over who pays for grid expansion may be negotiated, while conflicts over where a facility is built are harder to resolve with money.