Amazon loses fight to exempt data center from energy regulation

The Washington Post · last updated March 2, 2025 – 2:29 AM

Amazon on Friday lost a fight to escape regulatory oversight for a proposed data center northwest of Minneapolis, in a skirmish that illustrates how the tech industry’s rush to invest billions in new facilities can clash with local communities and state-level climate goals.

The decision against Amazon by Minnesota’s Public Utilities Commission comes in a state that, like many others, is grappling with a recent spike in data center construction, with projects also planned by Meta and Microsoft.

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