DOVER, Del. - Dover City Council is expected to take a final vote Monday night on a proposed 18-month moratorium on new data center applications, as officials raise concerns about the potential impact on the city’s infrastructure and electric rates.
The proposed pause would give the city time to study whether its municipal infrastructure could support future data center development and establish regulations before considering applications.
Councilman David Anderson, who co-sponsored the ordinance, said officials need more information about the potential costs before moving forward.
"How can we properly allocate cost if we don't have the numbers yet?" Anderson said. "That's why we need a moratorium, a pause to understand what the cost would even be, so that the residents and the other businesses don't unfairly bear that burden."
Councilwoman Donyale Hall also expressed concerns about the potential impact on ratepayers, particularly those already struggling to afford basic necessities.
"For some it's a choice between paying a utility bill and buying food, groceries or medication," Hall said. "And that's just an unfortunate circumstance that we find ourselves in."
Hall said she is sensitive to proposals that could result in additional costs for residents and wants the city to determine whether its infrastructure could accommodate data centers before allowing development to move forward.
"Let's put forward something that places a pause on this until we can figure out if our small municipal infrastructure would be able to even entertain the possibility of one of these things coming into our local area," Hall said.
Hall added that council members have unanimously agreed on the need for a moratorium, calling it a way to give the city time to assess its options.
The issue has also drawn concern from residents. State leaders recently held a town hall in Dover focused on data centers, giving community members an opportunity to ask questions and share concerns about energy demand, water use and who would ultimately bear the costs.
Rashawn Chapman, who has lived in Dover for several years, said he opposes data center development in Delaware.
"The frequency that they put in is harmful for us. It's harmful for the planet. It's harmful for the animals," Chapman said.
Chapman also questioned whether an 18-month pause would be enough time to address the potential impacts.
"They should not allow those data centers to be built in Delaware," he said. "Delaware is small. It's not big like New York or Texas."
Dover has not yet received a formal data center application, but council members say companies have expressed interest in the area.
Monday night's vote would determine whether the city moves forward with the proposed moratorium.
