Chicago Proposes Temporary Halt on Data Center Construction

Data center construction is expected to be paused for the time being. The city of Chicago in the United States has announced plans to temporarily halt data center construction in order to prevent excessive electricity consumption and water shortages.

On the 11th (local time), Mayor Brandon Johnson signed an executive order calling for a construction freeze, aiming to prevent resource depletion, rising energy costs, and harm to public health caused by unchecked development. Chicago's temporary construction halt policy requires approval from the City Council. If approved, the city government plans to proceed with legislation targeting new construction and the substantial expansion of existing facilities.

It is estimated that there are currently 1,500 data center projects underway in the United States. Reports indicate that over the past year, 15 state legislatures have considered measures to ban additional data center construction.