What’s the status of Data Centers in your city? 🫵🏾

March 2026

Back in December, we released a special member blog about SZA x data centers that received a lot of traction around the expansion of data centers in Memphis, TN. 

We’ve decided to spin the block and provide a more comprehensive update on the impact of data centers in another one of our major member states: Georgia. Plus for our girlies everywhere else, we’ll plug resources on where you can find more information about data centers local to you!

But first let’s take a couple steps back and make sure we’re all on the same page.

What are data centers? A data center is a large warehouse facility where computers and servers are kept to store and manage information. Every time you send a text message, watch a movie, or ask Chatgpt a question this info travels through the internet to a data center. As demand for AI increases, these data centers are rapidly growing in number and size and using more and more of our power and water.

How much water and power are data centers using? A typical large (100 MW) data center consumes roughly 1–5 MILLION gallons of water per day for cooling and requires massive amounts of electricity, often exceeding 100 megawatts (MW) of power, which is enough to power tens of thousands of homes.

Where can I learn if there’s a data center near me? Founded in April 2024, Cleanview is a data platform that helps clean energy leaders track the energy transition in real-time. They also have an entire page dedicated to tracking operating and planned data centers in the U.S. Every month, they track thousands of data centers and update their list of the largest data centers in the U.S. Explore their site here! 

Map of Data Centers in the U.S.

Blue markers indicate operating data centers, while orange markers show planned facilities. 

Soo, what’s going on in Georgia? 🔍

Georgia is a rapidly growing hub for data centers, with over 200 facilities operating or in development. With significant sales and tax exemptions that allow data center owners to save millions and Georgia Power’s aggressive push for data centers, it’s no brainer why big tech/AI companies are flocking to the Peach State. 

But regardless, residents from Dekalb County to Southwest Atlanta are pushing back and achieving wins against new development proposals and urging officials to implement stronger regulations that can mitigate the harms of data centers. 

In January 2026, Georgia Rep. Ruwa Romman introduced a bill proposing what could become the first statewide moratorium on new datacenters in America. The bill aims to institute a temporary pause to new, large-scale data center developments to allow state, county and municipal-level officials time to set necessary policies for regulating data centers.

This time could allow for meaningful community engagement with frontline communities, a rigorous environmental cumulative review of data center plans, and establish regulatory oversight that can minimize the risk of data centers. (Climate Action Campaign)

As Sierra Club’s GA chapter asserts, it’s our responsibility to make sure that data centers are good neighbors. Check out their exhaustive list of outreach and advocacy resources from detailed talking points to advice on how to organize your community. It’s super helpful info, no matter where you live!