Republican Senator Wants to Freeze AI Data Center Boom as Congress Pushes to Expand It

Senator Josh Hawley proposes a nationwide moratorium on new data centers until Congress enacts consumer protections against rising electricity costs, opposing a bipartisan bill aimed at easing energy infrastructure development for AI growth. The Senate recently advanced debate on legislation to expedite energy project permits and require data centers to cover additional grid expenses. Data centers' electricity use is projected to more than double by 2030, fueling concerns over energy demand and,