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2026 Maine Senate Race
Key developments
New Jersey makes data centers pay grid costs
Gov. Mikie Sherrill signed S731/A796 on July 7, directing the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities to create a new electric rate for large-load data centers. The law requires developers to pay for needed grid upgrades and provide financial guarantees if projects do not proceed or use less power than forecast. The measure was part of a broader energy package that also included immediate customer credits and tighter oversight of transmission spending.
Why it matters
New Jersey is moving from data center incentives toward explicit cost-allocation rules meant to shield residential and small-business ratepayers from AI load growth.
Sources & driving stories
NJ.COM · Nyah Marshall
nj.com coverageNEW JERSEY BUSINESS & INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION · Joanne Degnan
New Jersey Business & Industry Association coverageNJ1015
Nj1015 coverageOregon approves nearly 30% data center rate hike
The Oregon Public Utility Commission approved Portland General Electric rate updates effective July 8, raising rates for data centers by about 29% to 29.7%. Residential, commercial and industrial customers will see smaller decreases, including a roughly 1.3% residential reduction, under implementation of Oregon’s POWER Act. The change primarily affects data centers in Hillsboro and applies across PGE’s roughly 963,000-customer service territory.
Why it matters
The decision turns large-load cost allocation into an immediate rate mechanism, making Oregon a live test case for data center-specific tariffs.
Sources & driving stories
KOIN
KOIN coverageOREGONLIVE · Gosia Wozniacka
OregonLive coveragePrince William rejects 2,000-acre data center campus
Prince William County supervisors voted 8-0 on Tuesday to deny a comprehensive plan amendment for the nearly 2,000-acre Dulles South Innovation Center, also called Dulles Cloud South. The proposal would have changed land-use designations for about 252 parcels and supported future rezoning from agricultural to planned business district uses. Public testimony centered on traffic, rural character, greenhouse-gas goals, backup diesel generators, tax revenue and litigation risk.
Why it matters
A unanimous rejection in Northern Virginia shows that even the country’s most mature data center market is tightening political tolerance for new mega-campuses.
Sources & driving stories
WTOP NEWS
WTOP News coverageWJLA · Nick Minock
WJLA coverageNBC WASHINGTON · Drew Wilder
NBC Washington coverageWorth noting
WORTH NOTING
Georgia probes cost shifting
Georgia’s Public Service Commission unanimously approved an investigation into whether Georgia Power’s large industrial customers, including data centers, are shifting costs to residents, with staff warning the pricing structure could raise average residential costs by up to 11% per month by 2028.
WORTH NOTING
Palm Beach freezes AI zoning
Palm Beach County commissioners approved a moratorium and immediate zoning-in-progress freeze for AI data centers, while exempting Project Tango, which is still scheduled for a July 15 vote.
WORTH NOTING
Stratos scale remains unresolved
KSL reported that Kevin O’Leary’s Utah-backed Stratos project could still reach 9 gigawatts, while specific water-use and emissions figures remain unavailable and the tax deal cuts MIDA’s standard energy tax from 6% to 0.5%.
Still unclear
OPEN QUESTION
Will data center tariffs survive challenges?
Oregon’s rate order may face appeals, while New Jersey industry groups argue separate data center treatment unfairly singles out one sector.
OPEN QUESTION
Do moratoriums become permanent siting rules?
Palm Beach County, Prince George’s County, Alliance and other local governments are using pauses to write standards, but major pending projects may still proceed under exemptions or existing approvals.