SPOKANE, Wash. — The Spokane City Council is considering an emergency ordinance that would pause new data center development for at least one year, as debate grows over a proposed 500-megawatt data center in Eastern Washington.
Avista, the utility that would have powered the facility, has also suspended negotiations with the developer, saying it needs more time for coordinated planning.
“We know that this size of customer is unprecedented for us to be able to serve and for other government agencies to be able to serve,” said Avista CEO Heather Rosentrater.
Avista says it paused talks to ensure existing customers are protected before any deal moves forward.
“At a high level, it would be looking at how we would construct a contract that ensures that our existing customers are protected,” Rosentrater said. “And we will be doing it just more broadly instead of specifically for this customer.”
Hundreds of residents have contacted county commissioners and city council members with concerns about water use, environmental impact and energy costs.
“There’s a huge environmental impact. There’s a community impact. Water is a huge resource that everyone needs to survive,” said Spokane City Council Member Sarah Dixit. “Especially here in Spokane, when we’ve seen just the different climate effects over the years, people are very concerned about that.”
The one-year pause would give the city time to study data center impacts and prepare city staff for future proposals.
“Water system, permitting — all the different things that have to happen through the city process — need to be figured out,” Dixit said. “This is the first time we’re handling something this big. It’s just to allow for all the staff involved to also know what to do.”
Spokane County commissioners have not discussed a moratorium. However, County Commissioner Chris Jordan said in an email that Avista made the right call by pausing negotiations and that leaders need to find a path forward that fits the region’s needs.
Avista says it is working with local government agencies to include the public in future data center discussions.
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