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Committee reviews bill to regulate large data centers, setting 20 MW threshold and new water and contract rules
Summary
The Natural Resources & Energy committee examined H727, the proposed 'Vermont Sustainable Data Centers Act,' which would apply to facilities able to use 20 megawatts or more, require PUC‑approved large‑load contracts, quarterly reporting of energy and water use, and a decommissioning model including bonds and data sanitation standards.
A state legislative committee on April 1 reviewed H727, a bill that would create a regulatory framework for large data centers in Vermont, focusing on grid impacts, water use and protections for existing ratepayers.
Maria Royal, who identified herself as with Glen's Lake Council, told the committee that the bill uses a 20‑megawatt threshold to trigger requirements and that ‘‘20 megawatts of power is roughly equivalent to serving 20,000 households,’’ noting that open‑loop evaporative cooling could use ‘‘about 500,000 gallons a day’’ while closed‑loop systems greatly reduce water withdrawals but often require more power. Royal and other presenters said the threshold aligns with practices in other states and is intended to capture facilities that impose significant demands on transmission and local infrastructure.
The bill would require a 'large‑load service' contract between a data center…
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