SOUTH JERSEY (KYW Newsradio) — As more and more data centers are popping up, New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill is calling for guardrails to ensure those companies are good neighbors.
Sherrill’s four-part plan to govern data centers — the first of its kind in the country — aims to hold companies accountable while also putting New Jersey in a position to lead in AI innovation.
She outlined the four pillars of her plan: “To make data centers pay their fair share by bringing their own energy to the table; to make sure they operate transparently, add value to the grid and to our communities, and support good-paying jobs long term.”
Sherrill said some data centers use the same amount of energy as entire towns.
“That skyrocketing demand is outpacing supply and jacking up all of our electric bills,” she said. “I’m on a mission to drive down energy costs in our state.
“We’re going to require them to bring their energy to the grid, contracting with their own power generators, and paying for the grid upgrades needed to handle the larger load.”
Data centers would also be required to issue usage updates every six months on energy and water consumption.
Sherrill said if data centers want to do business in the Garden State, they will need to play by the rules, and her administration is working with the Legislature to put this into law.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro also announced accountability standards for data centers on Wednesday. The Governor’s Responsible Infrastructure Development (GRID) Standards “set expectations for developers seeking support from the Commonwealth — including coordinated project support … greater speed and certainty in permitting, and access to state tax incentives,” the governor’s office said.
“If companies want the Commonwealth’s full support, they must meet strong standards on energy affordability, clean energy generation, transparency, workforce development, community impact, and environmental protection,” Shapiro said in a statement. “This is about setting a higher bar for projects and ensuring development happens responsibly and in a way that benefits Pennsylvanians.”
Developers seeking state support would be required to submit an application and explain how they will meet these standards.
Gov. Shapiro also unveils standards for data center developers in Pa.
Gov. Shapiro also unveils standards for data center developers in Pa.
