Mills vetoes Maine's data-center moratorium, carving out Jay project

Gov. Janet Mills vetoed a bill that would have frozen approvals for large data centers (over 20 MW) until Oct. 2027 while a state council analyzes their impact on the grid, electricity bills, air and water, saying a targeted moratorium can work but the Jay carve-out is needed. She noted a proposed $550 million data center in Jay would reuse existing infrastructure, create hundreds of jobs and boost tax revenue, and she plans an executive order to form a council to study Maine’s data-center effects and to block certain tax incentives for such projects. The Jay project has local support, while opponents warn the veto could raise rates and strain the energy grid.