James Mercer

“That’s why local resistance has grown so fast: counties pausing new projects, zoning fights and data centres turning into a ballot issue.”

James Mercer · said date not stated · reported 2026-11-07

Mercer explained that local resistance to data centres has grown rapidly, with counties pausing projects and zoning fights emerging.

“What they push back on is a building down the road that needs as much power as a small city, when they suspect their own electric bill will cover it,”

James Mercer · said date not stated · reported 2026-11-07

Mercer told Al Jazeera that voters push back on nearby data centres consuming as much power as a small city.