- Spokane City Council imposed a one-year moratorium on new data centers following Avista Utilities’ pause in negotiations with a large load customer.
(The Center Square) – The Spokane City Council imposed a one-year moratorium on new data centers on Monday after Avista Utilities announced a pause in negotiations with an unnamed large load customer.
The officials deferred the proposal last week after Councilmember Paul Dillon attempted to push a vote days after introducing the moratorium. Councilmember Michael Cathcart, the lone conservative on the dais, was the only vote against it Monday, citing potential impacts to the Spokane aerospace tech hub.
The pause follows nationwide concerns that taxpayers could be left paying for infrastructure to support data centers and industries requiring large amounts of water and electricity. However, the projects also offer economic benefits that Spokane risks missing out on, even if they’re sited outside the city limits…