What changed in U.S. data centers in October 2026
October 2026: one headline number
The Atlas news log documents 69 source-dated entries in October 2026.
Selected documented entries, not a count of newly announced projects, operating buildings or all developments. Publication, review and scheduled event dates have different meanings.
Calculation: Count distinct entry IDs whose source publication date falls in this month and is no later than the snapshot date, with a retained source URL.
Snapshot as of October 29, 2026. This selected archive can be incomplete. It does not establish the number of facilities announced in this month.
Source-dated entries
Illinois opens air permit comments for Hoffman Estates data center campus
· Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
Illinois EPA opened comments through November 30 on a draft CAAPP permit for the CHI05, CHI06 and CHI07 source in Hoffman Estates. The agency describes an existing campus; this review does not establish a new opening, final permit issuance or an individual building status.
FERC targets January review for Richland Parish gas project
· Federal Energy Regulatory Commission via Federal Register
An October 28 FERC notice targets January 8, 2027 for environmental assessment of the proposed Franklin Farms gas connection serving an AI campus in Richland Parish. A comment window would follow publication; neither assessment issuance nor project approval is verified.
North Carolina Governor urges rates that assign data center energy costs
· North Carolina Office of the Governor
Governor Josh Stein urged utility regulators to charge major electricity users for the infrastructure and generation costs they drive. The update cites new scenario modeling and presents the tariff as an unfinished regulatory proposal.
Hermantown cancels October 27 council meeting
· City of Hermantown
The city canceled its October 27 council meeting because arriving attendees could overlap with early voters using Council Chambers until 7 p.m. The notice says replacement meeting plans had not been announced; it does not report a project vote or permit decision.
Boyertown posts hearing notice for joint zoning changes
· Boyertown Borough
The Borough notice schedules a November 2 hearing at 7 PM, followed by consideration of a proposed joint zoning amendment. Its data center provisions concern special exception use in Colebrookdale Township industrial quarry zoning, alongside separate changes affecting Boyertown.
Soluna reports full repayment of its Generate Capital facility
· Soluna Holdings
Soluna says it has retired the Generate Capital credit facility and released liens tied to the financed project assets. The company links that financing change to its Dorothy 3 development plans; repayment does not establish facility operation.
San Diego Council preview places proposed data center pause on October 27 agenda
· City of San Diego, Office of Council President
The dated Council office preview places the proposed urgency moratorium in the October 27 morning session, following an earlier schedule update. The proposal describes a 45 day initial term requiring a four fifths Council vote and does not establish that adoption occurred.
Pennsylvania regulator creates group to examine utility rate procedures
· Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission via Pennsylvania Bulletin
An October 24 Bulletin notice reports a Pennsylvania PUC working group examining utility returns and rate procedures, citing data center development among several industry pressures. The September 10 decision establishes a review process and does not set a computing tariff or approve an individual project.
San Diego council adds temporary data center pause to agenda
· City of San Diego
Council President Joe LaCava's October 23 update says council members will consider a time limited restriction on data center construction and expansion at their October 26 meeting. The item is a proposed urgency ordinance, and the update reports no adoption.
Nassau invites feedback on draft data center report and planned rules
· Nassau County Communications
The county released its initial draft report and scheduled two workshops plus later public hearings on potential data center regulations. Its communications notice says online comments remain open through January 8, 2027; the proposals have not been adopted.
Loudoun adds documentation requirements for high energy use land applications
· Loudoun County
The County says legislative land use applicants for facilities anticipating at least 100 megawatts must provide utility correspondence and assessments covering nearby homes, schools and environmental resources. The requirements apply to current and future legislative applications, while the notice excludes sites pursuing administrative approval by right.
Loudoun adds documentation requirements for large power use proposals
· Loudoun County
Loudoun says legislative applications for high energy use facilities must include power and utility correspondence, substation details and assessments of nearby sound and specified site resources. The County says by right administrative applications are outside the new requirements; the county checklist and state code describe the applicable scope.
Linden publishes notice of adopted data center prohibition
· City of Linden
The City’s linked ordinance summary reports adoption on October 20 and mayoral approval on October 21 of a measure prohibiting data centers in every zoning district. The summary does not provide the exact effective date or complete ordinance provisions.
Cache County schedules hearing on data center development standards
· Utah Public Notice Website, Cache County
The Planning Commission notice schedules a November 5 hearing on changes to county development rules for data centers. The proposal remains under review; the notice records no adoption or individual project approval.
Woodbury County schedules public input on data center zoning
· Woodbury County, Iowa
The county announced listening sessions in Salix on November 9 and Correctionville on January 18 to discuss possible data center permitting rules. The process concerns unincorporated territory only and does not establish new requirements within incorporated cities or an enacted county ordinance.
Taunton votes for a city data center ban and one year pause
· City of Taunton
On October 20, council members unanimously barred data centers and separately approved a yearlong pause on new proposals. They declined to exempt an existing industrial property after its developer cited interest from a possible tenant.
San Diego mayor sends proposed data center pause to council
· City of San Diego
The mayor’s October 22 order directs staff to present a temporary pause proposal to the council on October 26. It also starts a process for local rules and stakeholder recommendations; the council has not yet acted on the proposal.
PG&E reports energizing 174 MW of data center projects since 2024
· PG&E Corporation
PG&E reports energizing 174 MW of new data center projects since 2024. Its suggestion that each additional gigawatt could reduce customer bills by at least one percent depends on appropriate pricing and does not establish realized savings or computing operation at any individual facility.
Loudoun reports preliminary Amazon agreement at GWU campus
· Loudoun County
Loudoun County reports a unanimous Board vote to continue negotiations on a preliminary campus deal. Amazon stated an intent to withdraw its data center application, but the county and AWS still need to finalize agreements.
Grantsville proposes conditional use category for data infrastructure centers
· Grantsville City Planning Commission via Utah Public Notice Website
The city schedules a November 3 hearing on changes that would make advanced technology and data infrastructure centers a conditional use in two manufacturing districts. Written comments are due at noon November 2; the commission will consider a recommendation to the city council, and the notice does not establish adopted rules or approval of an individual project.
Google expands its Voltus demand flexibility agreement in PJM
· Google Blog
The company reports an agreement targeting roughly 1 GW of aggregated demand response across PJM. That distributed grid capacity is not data center IT load or proof of delivery.
DC BLOX names a sustainability and environment vice president
· DC BLOX
DC BLOX says Diane Sanzone will lead environmental permitting, risk review and community work across its data center, fiber and landing station projects. The company described a leadership appointment, not a facility milestone.
Clackamas commissioners approve temporary development pause
· Clackamas County
The board voted unanimously to pause new facility proposals in areas outside incorporated cities while county staff review possible rules. The county says the review will cover water, utility costs, land use and other local considerations.
College Station updates zoning rules for data centers
· City of College Station
The city says council unanimously approved a zoning amendment that defines data centers and revises where they may be allowed. The account says conditional use permits can include added site compatibility conditions.
Soluna and Applied Digital agree on planned Dorothy 3 partnership
· Soluna Holdings
Soluna reports a conditional agreement with Applied Digital for a proposed 50 MW critical IT facility near Silverton, Texas. Closing requires further approvals and agreements, while ChronoScale’s prospective lease remains a nonbinding expression of interest.
Nassau schedules two workshops on its draft data center report
· Nassau County, Florida
The County notice sets October 26 and November 9 workshops for review of the committee’s preliminary data center report. Both are listed for 3 PM at the county board chambers in Yulee, with public attendance invited.
Hayward adopts interim pause on new data center approvals
· City of Hayward
The city reports that council adopted a temporary pause on new data center approvals while staff examine resource and neighborhood effects. Its October 20 legislation record shows the motion passed with a modification and lists four existing or approved facilities without claiming that all are operating.
Equinix launches five live liquid cooling test sites
· Equinix
Equinix says its EPIC program is operating inside data centers in Frankfurt, London, Osaka, Paris and Sydney. Customers can use the sites to evaluate liquid cooled systems before wider deployment.
Brighton approves one year data center moratorium
· City of Brighton
The city reports a 9 to 0 council vote for a one year pause on permit and land use applications proposing data centers. It says the measure gives staff time to prepare local rules and may continue for up to 90 additional days under the ordinance condition.
Alton announces October 27 open house on proposed steel site data center
· City of Alton
Alton says TerraWatt will host an October 27 open house from 6 to 7:30 PM at the Wedge Building, 620 E Broadway, about a potential data center redevelopment of the former Alton Steel property. The City says no permit or zoning application had been submitted as of its October 21 notice and that future planning and council dates depend on an application.
3M announces optical networking collaboration with AWS
· 3M Company
AWS plans to expand use of 3M optical connection technology across its data center infrastructure. The companies forecast additional supply chain jobs in Minnesota, Texas and Wisconsin through 2027; the announcement establishes no new operating campus.
Ohio Supreme Court declines to compel review of Bristolville plan
· Court News Ohio, Supreme Court of Ohio
Ohio’s Supreme Court declined to order Lordstown to continue Bristolville 25’s preliminary site review while the village’s moratorium applies. The Court said the developer had not satisfied the prerequisites for a zoning permit.
Loudoun moves proposed data center pause discussion to November
· Loudoun County, Virginia
Loudoun County says the Board will take up proposed item 14p on November 17 after deferring it from the October 20 meeting for more staff information. The proposal would pause Board action on certain legislative applications if approved; the County reports no adoption, and the notice gives no November meeting time or venue.
DC BLOX explains how cooling choices affect data center water use
· DC BLOX
DC BLOX describes how air, evaporative, closed loop and heat rejection systems can affect water needs. The company presents a general explainer, not water measurements for a named campus.
TCEQ reports pausing permits for data center infrastructure
· Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
In its October 19 update to Governor Greg Abbott, TCEQ says it paused permits for construction or development of infrastructure directly supporting data centers and is screening pending applications under the September 21 directive. The agency's construction permit page, checked October 24, still says associated applications are temporarily halted until further notice from the Governor; the update does not establish outcomes at other state agencies.
Meta reports Prometheus trained its new AI models
· Engineering at Meta
Meta says the first phase of its Prometheus cluster in New Albany was completed and used to train Muse models. The company says it continues to scale the cluster toward roughly one million GPUs.
Meta says its New Albany cluster trained new AI models
· Meta Data Centers
Meta describes Prometheus in New Albany as a live training site for two models it introduced in October. The company also reports local grants and workforce programs.
Google allocates initial West Memphis energy grants
· Google Blog
Google says the first $1.25 million from a $25 million local fund will support ten nonprofit and municipal groups. The announcement also describes planned grid investment with Entergy Arkansas and does not establish a campus operating date.
Fayetteville council requests draft data center pause and zoning changes
· City of Fayetteville, North Carolina
The City reports that Council authorized arranging a hearing on a proposed moratorium and asked staff to draft the measure. Council also requested revisions to data center zoning language for presentation at its October 26 meeting.
Columbia County posts Greenpoint site blasting schedule
· Columbia County, Georgia
The County notice schedules Greenpoint contractor blasting from October 22 through December 30 on alternating weekdays, within an 11 AM to 3 PM window. It describes a construction site but does not confirm completed blasts or data center operation.
Vermillion County posts data center committee materials
· Vermillion County
The county published links to zoning comparisons, a standards matrix, facility categories and a water and energy report, with selected linked materials marked as committee drafts for review. The information page also links a separate carbon capture ordinance draft; its inclusion does not establish adoption of data center rules.
Pennsylvania commission seeks comments on proposed large load curtailment procedures
· Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission via Pennsylvania Bulletin
A tentative order proposes utility registries for large loads and revised emergency procedures that would prevent data centers from receiving critical load exemptions from curtailment. The commission requests stakeholder comments and identifies a November 17 technical conference; the proposal does not establish final state rules or federal approval of the related PJM service.
Mamakating announces plan to move data center moratorium hearing
· Town of Mamakating
Mamakating’s notice says the proposed moratorium hearing would move from October 20 to November 17 because the publication window was too short. The notice also says the Board would address the change on October 20; the selected official records do not confirm the rescheduling vote.
Brisbane approves a temporary pause and schedules an extension vote
· City of Brisbane
The city says its council adopted a temporary application pause on October 1. A further extension is on the November 5 meeting schedule.
San Antonio district office outlines proposed data center zoning changes
· City of San Antonio, Council District6
The district office describes two proposed code changes, including requiring a specific use authorization that would bring each proposed data center before the city council. Its release lists an October 29 council vote and invites public comments; the proposal and the councilmember’s position do not establish adopted rules or an individual project approval.
New Braunfels notice sets two stages of data center code review
· City of New Braunfels
An October 15 city notice schedules Planning Commission review for November 4 and the first Council reading for November 9 of proposed Chapter 144 amendments covering data centers. Neither scheduled step establishes adoption, and the notice supplies no meeting time or location.
Hermantown reports Google has dropped proposed property tax abatement
· City of Hermantown
The city reports that Google will no longer seek real property tax abatements for its proposed campus and will explore other ways to support the school district. Regional tax receipts described in the release are estimates following possible project completion, and the announcement does not establish permit approval or operation.
Sioux Falls outlines public review of data center regulation options
· City of Sioux Falls
The city announces an ad hoc committee process to examine existing law, collect public input and develop possible data center ordinance recommendations. Proposed language and supporting resources are due November 27, 2026, with a report planned for January 12, 2027; the announcement does not establish adopted rules or a completed report.
QTS funds a new fire station on Fayetteville's west side
· QTS Data Centers
QTS and Fayetteville officials broke ground on Station 93, which QTS says it is funding with an $11.5 million contribution and nine acres of land. The company projects completion in spring 2028.
DOE report names DC BLOX among South Carolina summit panelists
· U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Environmental Management
DOE says the recent South Carolina Nuclear Summit panel included DC BLOX and other energy and infrastructure companies. The report gives no exact summit date or new Savannah River lease or construction outcome.
Willistown schedules hearing on proposed data center zoning changes
· Willistown Township
Willistown supervisors plan an October 26 hearing at 7:00 PM on definitions, application procedures and performance rules for data centers in an overlay district. The Township notice describes proposed legislation and does not establish adoption.
Meta presents networking designs for larger AI clusters
· Engineering at Meta
Meta describes new liquid cooling hardware for networking, ways to connect computing capacity across campuses and an open switch initiative with Microsoft and Alibaba. The engineering post discusses company infrastructure and future designs without establishing an opening date for any individual facility.
QTS and Lancium outline a community agreement for Turkey, Texas
· QTS Data Centers
The firms described prospective support for Turkey services and local infrastructure valued at as much as $15.5 million, with a separate contribution for water system work. QTS says its related campus sits beyond the city boundary.
NRC opens draft review for proposed Matador reactor project
· Nuclear Regulatory Commission via Federal Register
An October 9 NRC notice invites comments through November 23 on a draft environmental statement for four proposed Project Matador reactors. Its preliminary recommendation depends on safety review, and the notice establishes no licensing decision or computing campus operation.
Meta responds to debate over data center water and power
· Meta
A Meta authored post challenges criticism about water use, grid costs and employment. It cites examples from the company’s own facilities, so its account remains company attributed.
Manatee adopts a one year pause on new data center applications
· Manatee County
The county says its board adopted Ordinance 26-42 after a final public hearing, pausing new data center related applications in unincorporated Manatee County for 12 months unless the board repeals it sooner. The county says existing projects are not permanently prohibited by the measure.
Meta infrastructure chief discusses how data centers support AI
· Meta
An October interview with Meta’s infrastructure chief covers energy, chips and the role of company built facilities in supporting AI. It offers corporate strategy context rather than a project update.
Georgia opens air application review for Amazon ATL 114
· Georgia Environmental Protection Division
Georgia EPD lists application 30374 for an Amazon Data Services campus in Douglas County and invites comments through November 6. The filing seeks construction and operation authority; it does not establish an issued permit or an operating campus.
AES reports approval of electricity plan for Google in Morgan County
· AES Indiana
AES Indiana says regulators approved its plan to serve Google, with an 80 percent minimum demand payment obligation and phased infrastructure spending. The utility forecasts about $770 million in customer savings; this estimate does not establish realized bill reductions or data center operation.
Madison schedules a public data center framework meeting
· City of Madison, District 16
City staff plan a virtual 5:30 PM information meeting on a draft zoning framework for data centers. The notice describes an informational session, not a Common Council vote on final rules.
Imperial County repeals its data center moratoriums after court order
· Imperial County
The Board of Supervisors repealed two interim ordinances that had paused data center approvals in unincorporated areas, following a county court writ. The county says other land use requirements may still apply to individual applications.
Google announces agreement to expand output at existing nuclear plants
· Google
Google says its Constellation agreement supports upgrades projected to add 890 MW to PJM before 2033. The announcement covers six plants in three states and does not establish delivery of that added electricity.
DC BLOX signs federal ratepayer protection pledge
· DC BLOX
DC BLOX says it joined a White House pledge to pay for the power supply and grid delivery infrastructure its facilities require. This is the company’s stated commitment and does not document project level spending or local utility results.
Maryland order directs environmental guidance for data center proposals
· Maryland Register, Office of the Secretary of State
The published executive order directs the environmental agency to explain permit requirements and evaluate water, cooling, generator emissions and cumulative impacts. Its general provisions preserve existing legal authority and specified prior applications and approvals; these directives do not establish completed guidance, individual project approval or a statewide construction pause.
Casa Grande reports conditional permit for Grande Valley campus
· City of Casa Grande
Casa Grande says its Planning and Zoning Commission approved a conditional permit for the proposed Grande Valley campus, with requirements for water, noise, power and emergency response. The City says construction still needs further approvals and identifies no operator or end customer.
Amazon pledges additional community funding around its data centers
· Amazon
Amazon announces a community program with more than $1 billion in additional spending planned over five years, alongside commitments on utility costs, disclosure and emissions controls. These are company pledges, not verified payments, lower household bills or evidence that any proposed campus is operating.
Tulare County extends its data center pause through August 2027
· California State Clearinghouse
A state clearinghouse notice says Tulare County extended an interim development pause in its unincorporated territory through August 6, 2027. The notice says the county will use the added time to prepare land use standards and assess infrastructure and environmental questions.
Dingell requests public input on proposed federal data center protections
· Office of Representative Debbie Dingell
Representative Debbie Dingell invites comments through October 30 on a framework covering utility costs, environmental review and community participation. Her office describes legislation being drafted, without identifying an enacted law.
DataBank buys the Eagan building housing its MSP2 facility
· DataBank
DataBank reports buying the previously leased building housing MSP2 in Eagan, Minnesota. The transaction changes its real estate ownership and does not announce a new facility opening or added power capacity.
Updated . What changed: Dated source entries and the shown calculation for October 2026.