According to the New York Independent System Operator (NYSIO), so-called large-load projects in the interconnection queue total more than 12,000 megawatts of electricity.
That much electricity could power approximately 12 million homes.
While that number includes both data centers and advance manufacturing like Micron, the size of that number should give you an idea of just how much electricity the state is being asked to produce over the next few years.
It’s one of the reasons lawmakers are considering a moratorium on data centers in the state.
A bill that would implement a three-year moratorium introduced by state Sen. Liz Krueger and Assemblymember Anna Kelles (S9144A/A10141A) is currently being reworked as a single-year moratorium.
Khara Boender, director of state policy at the Data Center Coalition, told Capital Tonight in May that a three-year moratorium could signal to data centers that they’re not welcome in New York state.
Alex Beauchamp, Northeast region director of Food & Water, joined Capital Tonight’s Susan Arbetter to discuss why a moratorium is important.