Seattle Data Center Plans Withdrawn Amid Public Backlash and Proposed Moratorium
Two developers have retracted their plans to construct large-scale data centers in Seattle following significant public opposition and a proposed one-year moratorium by city council members. Initially, four companies had approached Seattle City Light with proposals to build five data centers, which would demand a combined 369 megawatts of power, about a third of the city's average daily usage. One unidentified company withdrew its plans, and Tukwila-based Sabey followed suit, citing the project's lack of viability. This leaves Equinix and Prologis with proposals for three data centers requiring 249 megawatts. The Seattle City Council, led by members Eddie Lin, Debora Juarez, and Council President Joy Hollingsworth, plans to introduce legislation to halt new data center developments for a year, potentially extendable by six months. The move comes after receiving over 54,000 messages from residents expressing concern over the impact of such developments on the city's power supply. 
