Andrew T. Manus is a resident of Clayton.
The rapid push by certain interests to develop large-scale data centers in Delaware is troubling on several levels. As a retired conservation professional, I am particularly troubled by the potential environmental impacts these projects pose to Delaware’s flora and fauna, as well as to our air and water resources. I am also concerned about their extraordinary energy demands, the strain they place on the electric grid and the very real risk of increased utility costs for Delaware ratepayers.
Across the country, states are beginning to recognize these risks. New York, Georgia, Maryland, Oklahoma, Vermont, Virginia and Pennsylvania are all actively considering moratoriums — some lasting up to three years — on new data center development. These pauses are intended to allow policymakers time to fully assess impacts on electric rates, grid reliability and the environment. Many of these jurisdictions have concluded that their existing laws and regulatory frameworks are simply not adequate to evaluate or manage the scale and consequences of modern hyperscale data centers.
While I recognize that additional electric generation will be required to meet growing demand, Delaware faces unique and serious challenges in achieving this. We do not have in-state fuel sources for natural gas, nuclear or other large-scale generation technologies, meaning that any new generation will carry significant fuel transportation and cost risks that will ultimately be borne by ratepayers. Compounding this issue is the long and growing backlog of proposed generation and transmission projects across the PJM region, many of which face yearslong delays due to siting, permitting, financing and interconnection constraints. This backlog alone strongly supports the need for a temporary moratorium, while realistic and durable solutions are evaluated.
Delaware’s physical and environmental context further complicates this issue. As a small, densely populated state with extensive and fragile coastal and estuarine resources, siting new energy generation facilities presents extraordinary challenges. These constraints raise serious questions about whether it is sensible — or even responsible — for Delaware to pursue energy-intensive data centers as an economic development strategy at all, particularly when the environmental risks and ratepayer impacts may far outweigh the benefits.
The recent Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Coastal Zone Act status decision represents an important first step in evaluating environmental impacts in the coastal zone. However, that review is geographically limited and does not address the broader statewide consequences, including impacts on electric rates, grid stability and land use pressures outside the coastal zone.
With this in mind, I respectfully ask members of the Delaware General Assembly and Gov. Matt Meyer the following questions:
Answering these questions in an open and transparent way will contribute greatly to the public’s understanding of an important issue that affects current ratepayers and future generations of Delawareans.
Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcomed at civiltalk@iniusa.org.
