Seattle Becomes Largest U.S. City to Pass Data Center Moratorium — One-Year Pause Effective Immediately
The Seattle City Council voted unanimously on June 9 to impose a one-year emergency moratorium on new large data centers within city limits, responding to concerns over AI’s impact on the city’s power grid, water supply, utility rates, and economy — making Seattle the largest U.S. city to take such action. The council approved two measures: Amended Council Bill 121214 places a temporary moratorium on new data center development — defined as facilities with power capacity exceeding 20 megavolt-amperes requiring uninterrupted power service — while the city conducts comprehensive impact studies, with the moratorium eligible for a six-month extension if needed. The ordinance exempts roughly 30 smaller data centers already operating in Seattle, each allowed to expand by up to another 20 megavolt-amperes, and Mayor Wilson — who first floated the idea in April — is expected to sign the legislation, with permanent zoning regulations expected to reach the council by early 2027. For NW contractors, the moratorium doesn’t affect data center construction already underway in Quincy, Eastern Washington, or Oregon — Amazon’s facilities cluster in Oregon while Microsoft’s Washington presence is centered in Quincy — but it signals that Seattle-area data center construction, one of the few bright spots in an otherwise soft commercial market, just hit a significant regulatory wall.
