{"id":299,"date":"2026-06-02T22:08:05","date_gmt":"2026-06-02T22:08:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/northcarolinamovingjournal.com\/?p=299"},"modified":"2026-06-02T22:08:05","modified_gmt":"2026-06-02T22:08:05","slug":"nc-house-lawmakers-fast-track-data-center-regulation-bill","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/northcarolinamovingjournal.com\/?p=299","title":{"rendered":"NC House lawmakers fast-track data center regulation bill"},"content":{"rendered":"
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North Carolina House lawmakers are moving quickly to pass a bill placing restrictions and regulations on data centers, mandating more nuclear power, and speeding up the permitting process for new plants.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Reps. Matthew Winslow (R-Franklin) and Dean Arp (R-Union) unveiled the rewritten <\/span>Senate Bill 730<\/span>, now titled the \u201cRatepayer Protection Act,\u201d at the end of last month, shortly before the legislature took their Memorial Day break.<\/span><\/p>\n

With the General Assembly back in session, lawmakers are fast-tracking the measure to send it back to their Senate colleagues. <\/span>The bill passed two House committees Tuesday and could be on the House floor later Tuesday.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNorth Carolinians are seeing higher electricity bills, driven by rapid data growth and aggressive energy mandates,\u201d Winslow told the House Commerce committee Tuesday morning. \u201c[This bill] puts our families and small businesses first by making data centers pay their fair share in strength and grid reliability.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Municipalities across the state have been implementing moratoriums on data centers as they seek to learn more and impose regulations.<\/p>\n

S730 establishes rules for large data center development, like requiring large facilities to conduct noise studies, and allowing local governments to assess impacts on water, air quality, agricultural resources and thermal plumes before approval.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Data centers would also be mandated by law to implement closed-loop water systems, which reuse water to cool machinery, instead of allowing the water to evaporate.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Under the legislation, existing baseload power plants could not be retired until they can be replaced with nuclear resources, so there is enough baseload energy available in the grid.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Rep. Brandon Lofton (D-Mecklenburg) questioned why the bill specifies nuclear power.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cWhy specify or restrict the commission to say you have to wait for construction of nuclear facilities, when my understanding is that could take a number of years, as opposed to employing the commission with the flexibility to achieve a least-cost pathway?\u201d Lofton asked?<\/span><\/p>\n

Winslow said the focus is on replacement of baseload generation, not the form of energy. He said renewable energy sources like solar and wind are not considered baseload power because they\u2019re limited by natural factors and therefore less reliable than coal, natural gas or nuclear power.<\/span><\/p>\n

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NC House panel advances data center restrictions<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n