Renton City Council sets AI data center moratorium in motion

Published 11:06 am Monday, June 15, 2026

The city of Renton is looking to ban data centers from within the city limits.

At the June 1 meeting, the Renton City Council voted unanimously for the city administration to begin working on a moratorium on data centers in the city. Councilmember Kim-Khánh Văn proposed the motion.

“I am very concerned given AI is rapidly moving faster than what we can anticipate and someone who is an attorney who wants more data, I move to refer the matter of a moratorium on building data centers in the city of Renton to the administration,” Văn said.

Data centers are defined in Seattle city code as facilities used primarily for storing and processing digital data, having power capacity over 20 Megavolt-Amperes and requiring uninterruptible power. According to the World Resources Institute, there were more than 3,900 data centers across the United States as of January 2026, with Virginia having the most.

One of the biggest critiques of these centers is the high energy and water demands. A single modern AI data center can use as much power as 100,000 homes and up to 300,000 gallons of water a day, according to the World Resources Institute.

Seattle passed a year-long moratorium on the construction of new data centers earlier this month. Skagit County also passed a six-month moratorium on accepting new data center permit applications in unincorporated areas.

“Large AI data centers are popping up across the country, driving up utility costs for residents and small businesses while creating air, water, and noise pollution,” said Seattle Councilmember Eddie Lin. “We’ve heard from tens of thousands of residents – Seattleites should not be subsidizing record profits of large corporations from the AI boom. At the same time, the city hosts smaller co-location facilities that provide data processing for 911 call centers, municipal activities, hospitals, universities, and cancer research. We can support these essential services while also developing appropriate safeguards around mega AI data centers locally and regionally.”

In April, four companies approached Seattle City Light to build five large-scale data centers, according to the Seattle City Council Blog. These proposed facilities would have a combined maximum demand of 369 megawatts, enough electricity to power approximately 300,000 homes.

“The passing of today’s moratorium does not stop AI or data centers. It does, however, pause to hold those accountable in the development of data centers, while understanding the long-lasting impact on people and land,” said Seattle Councilmember Debora Juarez. “Today’s decision impacts future generations and we have a responsibility to protect our most vital resources. We look forward to working with the Mayor’s Office, stakeholders, and community members in the future of data centers that will keep the best interest of all people, land, and water at the forefront of our decision-making.”