AI data center opposition in the US in 2026 is broad and measurable: Gallup found 71% of Americans oppose a new AI data center in their area, the NBC News exit poll found 76% opposed on November 3, and local voters backed restrictions in 39 of 45 data center votes that day. Local opposition blocked or delayed at least 120 projects worth $198 billion in the first half of 2026, and PJM capacity prices rose from $28.92 to $329.17 per megawatt-day between the 2024/25 and 2026/27 auctions.
AI Data Center Opposition in US 2026 – Introduction
AI data center opposition became a national political issue in 2026. Residents in Ohio, Virginia, Georgia and New Jersey packed zoning meetings, and ballot measures to restrict new facilities passed in dozens of towns on November 3. Polls show seven in ten Americans oppose a local data center. The opposition crosses party lines, and the strongest complaints concern electric bills, water and noise.
The buildout is still enormous. Technology companies plan roughly $690 billion to $725 billion of AI capital spending in 2026, and local fights have already stalled or cancelled well over $200 billion of projects. This report covers the AI data center opposition statistics that matter most: voter polls, ballot results, blocked projects, electricity costs, water use and state policy.
Interesting Facts about AI Data Center Opposition in US 2026
SHARE OF AMERICANS OPPOSING A LOCAL AI DATA CENTER, 2026 (each █ = 2%)
Gallup, March 2026 | ███████████████████████████████████ 71%
Heatmap and Embold, August | █████████████████████████████████████ 75%
NBC News exit poll, Nov. 3 | ██████████████████████████████████████ 76%
Reuters/Ipsos concerned about bills | ██████████████████████████████████████ 77%
| Fact | 2026 Data |
|---|---|
| Americans opposing a local AI data center, Gallup | 71% |
| Strongly opposed, Gallup | 48% |
| Voters opposing a new local data center, NBC exit poll | 76% |
| Local data center votes won by restriction backers, November 3 | 39 of 45 |
| Projects blocked or delayed, first half of 2026 | At least 120, worth $198 billion |
| PJM capacity price, 2026/27 auction | $329.17 per megawatt-day |
| Direct data center water use, 2023 | 17 billion gallons |
| Active local restrictions, October 15 | More than 570 across 46 states |
Source: Gallup, May 13, 2026; NBC News Exit Poll, November 3, 2026; New Street Research, November 4, 2026; Data Center Watch (10a Labs); PJM; Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory; Electric Choice. Figures are from different surveys and trackers.
Public opposition is now a majority view in almost every survey. Gallup’s March 2026 poll found 71% oppose a new AI data center in their area, including 48% strongly opposed, while only about a quarter favored one. The NBC News exit poll found 76% of voters opposed a new data center in their community. A tracking poll cited by New Street Research shows opposition rising from 42% in August 2025 to 75% in August 2026.
Opposition has also moved from polls to action. Voters backed restrictions in 39 of 45 local votes held on November 3. Opposition blocked or delayed at least 120 projects worth $198 billion in the first half of the year. Electric bills drive much of the anger, and wholesale capacity prices in the PJM grid rose more than 11 times in two auctions.
AI Data Center Voter Opposition Polls in US 2026
POLLS ON LOCAL AI DATA CENTERS, 2026 (percent opposed unless noted; each █ = 2%)
Gallup, March (oppose) | ███████████████████████████████████ 71%
Gallup, March (strongly oppose) | ████████████████████████ 48%
Heatmap and Embold, August | █████████████████████████████████████ 75%
NBC exit poll, November 3 | ██████████████████████████████████████ 76%
UMass Amherst (support) | █████ 11%
| Poll | Date | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Gallup | March 2026 | 71% oppose a new AI data center in their area; 48% strongly oppose; about 25% favor, 7% strongly |
| Heatmap Pro and Embold Research | August 2026 | 75% oppose a new data center near their home |
| NBC News Exit Poll | November 3, 2026 | 76% oppose a new data center in their community; 24% favor |
| Reuters/Ipsos | June 2026 | 77% concerned data centers raise electricity costs |
| UMass Amherst | Early 2026 | 11% support a nearby AI data center |
| Gallup comparison | March 2026 | 53% oppose a new nuclear plant in their area |
Source: Gallup, May 13, 2026; Heatmap Pro and Embold Research, August 2026, as reported by Heatmap; NBC News Exit Poll, November 3, 2026; Reuters/Ipsos, June 2026, as reported by WABE; UMass Amherst poll, as reported by Stateline.
The polls use different wording and dates but point the same way. Gallup’s 71% is the benchmark, with 48% strongly opposed. Heatmap and Embold found 75% in August, and the NBC exit poll found 76% with just 24% in favor. Heatmap’s polling found higher electricity bills the top reason for opposition. A UMass Amherst poll found only 11% support a nearby AI data center.
Concern about electric bills is wide: 77% of Americans in a June Reuters/Ipsos poll were concerned data centers raise electricity costs.
Data Center Opposition by Party in US 2026
OPPOSITION TO DATA CENTERS BY PARTY, NEW STREET RESEARCH TRACKING (each █ = 2%)
Democrats | ██████████████████████████████████ 69%
Republicans | ███████████████████████████ 54%
Independents | ██████████████████████████ 53%
| Group | Share Opposed | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Democrats | 69% | New Street Research tracking poll, August 2026 |
| Republicans | 54% | New Street Research tracking poll, August 2026 |
| Independents | 53% | New Street Research tracking poll, August 2026 |
| Democrats, Reuters/Ipsos | About two-thirds | Reuters/Ipsos, June 2026 |
| Republicans, Reuters/Ipsos | About half | Reuters/Ipsos, June 2026 |
| Cities, suburbs and rural areas | Above 60% each | New Street Research |
Source: New Street Research analysis, November 4, 2026, as reported by Light Reading; Reuters/Ipsos, June 2026, as reported by WABE and Capacity.
Opposition is bipartisan but not equal. A tracking poll cited by New Street found 69% of Democrats opposed, against 54% of Republicans and 53% of independents. The Reuters/Ipsos poll found about two-thirds of Democrats and about half of Republicans opposed a data center in their community. The gap between Democrats and Republicans is about 15 points in the New Street figures, by our calculation.
Geography matters less than party. New Street reports opposition above 60% in cities, suburbs and rural areas alike. That pattern helps explain why fights have erupted in places as different as northern Virginia suburbs and small Ohio towns. Pollsters word questions differently, which limits comparisons across surveys.
Data Center Ballot Measures on November 3, 2026
LOCAL DATA CENTER VOTES ON NOVEMBER 3, 2026 (each █ = 1 vote)
Restrictions won or led (New Street) | █████████████████████████████████████████ 39 of 45
Other outcomes (New Street) | ██████ 6
Limited or blocked (10-state tally) | █████████████████████████████████████ 37 of 38 called
| Measure or Place | Result |
|---|---|
| New Street Research count of local votes | Restrictions won or led in 39 of 45 |
| 10-state tally of 41 measures | 38 called by next morning; 37 limited or blocked development, 1 supported it |
| Communities backing restrictions, Capacity count | At least 33 |
| Wilmington, Ohio | Four data center rezoning proposals rejected, about 80% to 20% |
| El Dorado | 10-year ban on high-impact data centers approved, 71% to 29% |
| Grove City, Ohio | 55% approved a charter amendment requiring a public vote on large developments |
Source: New Street Research, November 4, 2026, via Light Reading; Yahoo News report on 41 measures across 10 states; Capacity, November 4, 2026. Counts differ by tracker and by what each counts as a measure.
Voters acted on data centers directly on Election Day. New Street counted restrictions winning or leading in 39 of 45 local votes. A separate tally of 41 measures across California, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Maine, Nevada, New Jersey, North Dakota, Ohio and Wisconsin found that 37 of 38 called measures limited or blocked development. Capacity counted at least 33 communities that backed curbs. The counts differ because trackers define a data center measure differently.
Individual margins were large. Wilmington, Ohio rejected four rezoning proposals by about 80% to 20%. El Dorado approved a 10-year ban on high-impact data centers by 71% to 29%. In Grove City, Ohio, 55% approved a charter amendment requiring a public vote on developments that use more than 20 megawatts or 500,000 gallons of water. A few measures did not halt projects already under way, and results in small towns do not predict statewide votes.
Data Center Projects Blocked or Delayed by Opposition in US 2026
PROJECTS BLOCKED OR DELAYED BY LOCAL OPPOSITION, 2026 (billions of dollars; each █ = $5B)
Q1 2026, Data Center Watch | ██████████████████████████ 130
Q2 2026, Data Center Watch | ██████████████ 68
H1 2026, combined | ████████████████████████████████████████ 198
Cancelled in 2026, Heatmap | ████████████████████████████████████████████████████ 260+
| Measure | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Projects blocked or delayed, Q1 2026 | 75, worth about $130 billion | Data Center Watch |
| Projects blocked or delayed, Q2 2026 | 45, worth $68 billion | Data Center Watch |
| Projects blocked or delayed, first half | At least 120, worth $198 billion | Data Center Watch, summed |
| Investment cancelled in 2026 | At least $260 billion | Heatmap Pro |
| Cancelled in the third quarter alone | About $130 billion | Heatmap Pro |
| Investment facing sustained opposition | About $1 trillion | Heatmap Pro |
| Planned AI capital spending, 2026 | $690 billion to $725 billion | New Street Research |
Source: Data Center Watch (10a Labs), as reported by Brookings, Capacity and Bloomberg; Heatmap Pro, as reported by Luminix; New Street Research, November 4, 2026. The first-half total is our sum of two quarters. Trackers use different definitions of blocked, delayed and cancelled.
Data Center Watch counted 75 projects worth about $130 billion blocked or delayed in the first quarter of 2026, as many as in all of 2025. It counted another 45 projects worth $68 billion in the second quarter. Together that is at least 120 projects and $198 billion, by our sum. The Heatmap Pro tracker reports a higher figure, at least $260 billion cancelled in 2026, about $130 billion of it in the third quarter.
The numbers should be read with care. Blocked or delayed projects can restart in another place, so these totals are not the same as spending that disappears. New Street puts planned AI capital spending at $690 billion to $725 billion in 2026, so the $198 billion delayed is about 27% to 29% of that range, by our calculation. Heatmap estimates about $1 trillion of investment now faces sustained local opposition.
PJM Capacity Prices and Data Center Electricity Costs 2026
PJM CAPACITY PRICE PER MEGAWATT-DAY (each █ = $10)
2024/25 auction | ███ 28.92
2025/26 auction | ███████████████████████████ 269.92
2026/27 auction | █████████████████████████████████ 329.17
2027/28 auction | █████████████████████████████████ 333.44
2028/29 auction | ████████████████████████████████ 325.00
| Delivery Year | Capacity Price | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 2024/25 | $28.92 per MW-day | Baseline |
| 2025/26 | $269.92 per MW-day | Market monitor attributes 63% of the increase to data centers |
| 2026/27 | $329.17 per MW-day | Price cap; took effect June 1, 2026 |
| 2027/28 | $333.44 per MW-day | Price cap |
| 2028/29 | $325 per MW-day | Cap; announced July 14, 2026 |
| Data center share of most recent auction costs | About 40% | Market monitor estimate |
Source: PJM Interconnection auction reports; Monitoring Analytics, PJM’s independent market monitor, as cited by IEEFA and Utility Dive; electricrates.org. The 11-fold rise is our calculation.
PJM serves 13 states and the District of Columbia, and its capacity auction sets what utilities pay to keep power plants available. The price rose from $28.92 to $329.17 per megawatt-day between 2024/25 and 2026/27, about 11 times, by our calculation. The market monitor attributed 63% of the 2025/26 jump, about $9.3 billion, to data center load. Prices have since hit the cap for three auctions in a row.
Data centers drove about 40% of costs in the most recent auction, according to the monitor. PJM estimated the June 2026 step alone adds 1.5% to 5% to bills in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and DC. Prices are capped at about $325 to $333 for the next two delivery years. These figures describe wholesale capacity, not retail bills directly.
Residential Electricity Prices and the Data Center Debate in US 2026
RESIDENTIAL ELECTRICITY PRICE CHANGE, YEAR OVER YEAR, JUNE 2026 (each █ = 0.5%)
Pennsylvania | ████████████████████ 10.4%
Ohio | ███████████████████ 9.7%
District of Columbia | ███████████████ 7.4%
National | ██████████ 5.0%
Texas | █████████ 4.5%
| Measure | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| US average residential price, 2025 | 17.30 cents per kWh | EIA, October 2026 outlook |
| US average residential price, 2026 forecast | 18.21 cents per kWh | EIA, October 2026 outlook |
| US average residential price, 2027 forecast | 18.68 cents per kWh | EIA, October 2026 outlook |
| Pennsylvania, year over year, June 2026 | +10.4% | Electricity rate trackers using EIA data |
| Ohio, year over year, June 2026 | +9.7% | Electricity rate trackers using EIA data |
| ZIP codes with a data center, monthly bill difference | About $2.09 higher, not statistically significant | Rutgers New Jersey State Policy Lab |
Source: US Energy Information Administration, Short-Term Energy Outlook, October 2026; electricrates.org; Rutgers New Jersey State Policy Lab, 2026. The 2026 price rise of 5.3% is our calculation. State figures are secondary compilations of EIA data.
Electric bills are rising in most states, and PJM states are rising faster. EIA forecasts an average residential price of 18.21 cents per kilowatt-hour in 2026, up from 17.30 cents in 2025, a 5.3% rise by our calculation. Through June, residential prices were up 10.4% in Pennsylvania and 9.7% in Ohio, against 5.0% nationally and 4.5% in Texas. The national price is forecast to reach 18.68 cents in 2027.
Evidence that data centers cause bill increases is mixed. A Rutgers New Jersey State Policy Lab study found ZIP codes with a data center paid about $2.09 more a month, an amount that was not statistically significant. Portland General Electric’s first rate outcomes under a new data center rate class in June raised data center rates 29%, while residential rates fell 1.3%. That suggests rate design can protect households. Other drivers include higher natural gas prices and grid upgrades.
Data Center Water Usage in US 2026
US DATA CENTER DIRECT WATER USE (billions of gallons; each █ = 2)
2023 actual | █████████ 17
2028 hyperscale low | ████████ 16
2028 hyperscale high | ████████████████ 33
Texas alone, 2025 (est.) | ████████████████████████ 49
| Metric | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Direct cooling water use, 2023 | 17 billion gallons | Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory |
| Share used by hyperscale and colocation sites | 84% | Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory |
| Hyperscale use projected for 2028 | 16 to 33 billion gallons | Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory |
| Projected annual use by 2028 | About 32 billion gallons | World Resources Institute |
| Texas data centers, 2025 estimate | 49 billion gallons | Houston Advanced Research Center and University of Houston |
| Texas data centers, 2030 high estimate | Up to 399 billion gallons | Houston Advanced Research Center and University of Houston |
| Average data center, per day | About 300,000 gallons | University of Georgia |
| Large hyperscale site, per day | Up to 5 million gallons | Environmental and Energy Study Institute |
Source: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 2024 report; World Resources Institute; Houston Advanced Research Center; University of Georgia; Environmental and Energy Study Institute. Estimates differ by definition and scope.
Direct water use is modest nationally and heavy locally. US data centers used 17 billion gallons for cooling in 2023, 84% of it at hyperscale and colocation sites, and hyperscale use could reach 16 to 33 billion gallons by 2028. The World Resources Institute estimates about 32 billion gallons a year by 2028, enough for about 360,000 households’ indoor use. A typical site uses about 300,000 gallons a day and a large one up to 5 million.
The Texas numbers are far larger. A Houston study estimates Texas data centers used 49 billion gallons in 2025 and could reach 399 billion by 2030. The two estimates use different scopes, so they are not comparable with the national direct-cooling figure. Some analysts note that crop irrigation uses about 108.7 billion gallons a day nationally, and the Water Foundation says a large site with evaporative cooling can use more than 1 million gallons a day in summer.
State and Local Data Center Policies and Moratoriums in US 2026
LOCAL DATA CENTER RESTRICTIONS BY PLACE (each █ = 5)
New Jersey municipalities with bans | ███████████████████ 93
Georgia counties and cities | ██████████ 52
Nebraska counties with moratoriums | ██ 12
Rhode Island towns with bans | █ 3
| Policy | Detail |
|---|---|
| Active local restrictions, October 15 | More than 570 across 46 states |
| New York | Legislature passed a one-year permit moratorium on June 4; governor’s executive order followed in July |
| Maine | LD 307 statewide moratorium on projects over 20 MW vetoed in April |
| New Jersey | Ratepayer-protection bill S731/A796 signed July 7 |
| Governors with state-level requirements | 13 through orders or directives |
| State data center bills | More than 300 introduced in early 2026; moratorium bills in at least 11 states |
Source: Electric Choice, October 15, 2026; New York State Legislature; Maine Legislature; New Jersey Legislature; Water Foundation, July 2026; techjournal.org. Counts and effective dates vary by source and tracker.
The policy response is mostly local. Electric Choice counted more than 570 active local restrictions across 46 states as of October 15, with New Jersey, Michigan and North Carolina leading. It lists 93 New Jersey municipalities with bans and 52 Georgia counties and cities with restrictions. States are moving too. New York’s legislature passed a one-year pause on permits for projects of 20 megawatts or more by 44-16 in the Senate and 102-39 in the Assembly.
Maine’s legislature passed a statewide moratorium, but the governor vetoed it in April. New Jersey signed a ratepayer-protection law on July 7. At least 13 governors have issued orders setting state-level requirements, and more than 300 data center bills were introduced in early 2026. Federal bills on water and energy reporting and on a moratorium are pending in Congress. The new laws mostly aim to stop further bill increases, not reduce current bills.
Frequently Asked Questions About AI Data Center Opposition in US 2026
What percent of Americans oppose AI data centers in 2026?
Gallup found 71% oppose a new AI data center in their area, with 48% strongly opposed. The NBC News exit poll found 76% opposed on November 3, 2026.
Why do people oppose AI data centers in 2026?
Higher electricity bills lead the list in Heatmap polling. Water use, noise, land use and environmental concerns follow. A June Reuters/Ipsos poll found 77% concerned about electricity costs.
Is opposition to data centers bipartisan in 2026?
Yes. A tracking poll cited by New Street Research found 69% of Democrats, 54% of Republicans and 53% of independents opposed. Democrats oppose at higher rates.
How many data center projects have been blocked in 2026?
Data Center Watch counted at least 120 projects worth $198 billion blocked or delayed in the first half of 2026. Heatmap Pro counts at least $260 billion cancelled.
How did data center ballot measures do on November 3, 2026?
New Street Research counted restrictions winning or leading in 39 of 45 local votes. Another tally found 37 of 38 called measures limited or blocked development.
Do data centers raise electricity bills in 2026?
Partly. PJM capacity prices rose from $28.92 to $329.17 per megawatt-day, and the market monitor linked 63% of the 2025/26 jump to data centers. A Rutgers study found a $2.09 monthly difference that was not statistically significant.
How much will electricity prices rise in 2026?
EIA forecasts an average residential price of 18.21 cents per kilowatt-hour in 2026, up from 17.30 cents in 2025.
How much water do data centers use in 2026?
US data centers used 17 billion gallons for cooling in 2023. A typical site uses about 300,000 gallons a day, and large hyperscale sites up to 5 million.
Which state has a data center moratorium in 2026?
New York’s legislature passed a one-year permit pause in June, and the governor issued an executive order in July. Maine’s legislature passed one, but the governor vetoed it.
How many local data center restrictions exist in 2026?
More than 570 across 46 states as of October 15, according to Electric Choice.
Are data centers more unpopular than nuclear plants in 2026?
In Gallup’s March 2026 poll, 71% opposed a local AI data center, against 53% who opposed a new nuclear plant.
Will the AI data center buildout slow down in 2026?
Planned AI capital spending is still $690 billion to $725 billion in 2026, but local opposition delayed about $198 billion of projects in the first half. Future pace is uncertain.
Disclaimer: The data research report we present here is based on information found from various sources. We are not liable for any financial loss, errors, or damages of any kind that may result from the use of the information herein. We acknowledge that though we try to report accurately, we cannot verify the absolute facts of everything that has been represented.
